The Oversight Committee for the UN Joint Programme on Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) met for the first time on March 19, 2021 at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED). DRM is a 2-year programme funded by the global Joint SDG Fund to catalyze domestic resources towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) investments, by increasing government revenues and building investment capital.
Press Release
Oversight Committee Meeting: UN Sierra Leone Joint Programme on Domestic Resource Mobilization
Left to right: MoPED Develoment Secretary (Chair), UNCDF, DRM Programme Coordinator, UNDP Gender Specalist, NRA, MOF, Commercial Bank Association, Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Trade and Industry, BSL, Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, and Sierra Leone Association of NGOs.
UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), a DRM implementing partner along with UN Development Programme (UNDP), said the private sector can contribute most to domestic resources and it is important to support businesses to transition from the informal sector to the formal economy. This was echoed by the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce representative, who welcomed the planned public-private dialogues on issues impacting small and medium-sized businesses.
A Bank of Sierra Leone Representative underscored the importance of mainstreaming gender in resource mobilization, a view reinforced by several in the group. In this regard, the UNDP Gender Specialist outlined strategies on how gender may be mainstreamed in DRM activities, noting that a large pool of untapped resources can only be harnessed by understanding barriers to women’s participation in the formal economy.
The DRM Project Coordinator presented the work plan, budget, and Oversight Committee responsibilities. The National Revenue Authority representative and other participants stressed the importance of DRM complementing and not duplicating other partner initiatives, something to be taken up in smaller meetings between the Project Coordinator and relevant Ministries.
MoPED spoke of linkages between DRM and the Development Finance Assessment and Integrated National Financing Framework documents prepared for Sierra Leone. Ministry of Finance noted how DRM relates to the Domestic Resource Mobilization Strategy being developed for 2021–2023.
The meeting concluded with a review of action items, a look at the Joint SDG Fund webpage for Sierra Leone, and recognition of Joint SDG Fund donors, including Sweden, the European Union, and Netherlands.
