Sierra Leone Urges For Acceleration Of Global Action

Sierra Leone has renewed its call for accelerated global action to address the growing challenges of urbanization, affordable housing shortages, climate change impacts, and sustainable city development during the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda.

The high-level meeting, held at the United Nations Headquarters, brought together heads of state and government, ministers, UN officials, development partners, and urban development experts to assess progress made since the adoption of the New Urban Agenda in Quito, Ecuador, in 2016. The gathering also focused on strengthening commitments and strategies to guide sustainable urban development efforts through 2036.

During the meeting, delegates reviewed the United Nations Secretary-General’s 2026 Progress Report on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and discussed a political declaration aimed at renewing global commitments toward inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban settlements.

Representing the Government of Sierra Leone and delivering the country’s national statement on behalf of the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie, the Director of Planning, Policy and Project Development at the Ministry, Dr. Alphajoh Cham, described the review as a critical opportunity to strengthen international cooperation and address the complex challenges facing rapidly expanding cities.

Dr. Cham highlighted the increasing pressure created by urban growth in Sierra Leone, particularly in Freetown, the Western Area, and other emerging cities across the country. He noted that rapid urban expansion has placed significant strain on land availability, housing, infrastructure, and essential public services, while exposing vulnerable communities to climate-related risks including flooding, landslides, and coastal erosion.

He emphasized that Sierra Leone remains committed to promoting integrated spatial planning, resilient infrastructure development, secure land tenure systems, and inclusive urban growth as key measures to ensure sustainable settlements.

The delegation outlined several major policy reforms undertaken by the Government of Sierra Leone under the leadership of President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to strengthen land governance, housing development, and urban planning.

Among the reforms highlighted was the Customary Land Rights Act, 2022, which promotes equitable access to land and safeguards the rights of women, communities, and traditional land users. The government also referenced the National Land Commission Act, 2022, which established a decentralized land administration framework and introduced measures to modernize land management through biometric land title registration.

The National Country Planning Act, 2025, was also highlighted as a significant milestone in providing a stronger framework for integrated spatial planning, climate resilience, and decentralized urban governance.

Sierra Leone further showcased the progress of the Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project, which is supporting sustainable urban transformation through initiatives such as the Western Area Regional Spatial Plan, spatial development plans for six secondary cities, improved municipal geospatial systems, and capacity building for planning institutions.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing a National Housing Policy focused on increasing access to affordable housing, promoting community-led urban upgrading, encouraging the use of local building materials, and improving the delivery of essential urban services.

As part of its renewed commitment to the New Urban Agenda, Sierra Leone announced four strategic priorities aimed at accelerating implementation efforts. These include transforming policies into practical delivery of serviced land, affordable housing, secure tenure, and basic services, particularly for low-income and vulnerable populations.

The country also pledged to strengthen local councils through improved municipal finance systems, stronger development control mechanisms, and increased citizen participation, especially in secondary cities. Additionally, Sierra Leone emphasized the importance of integrating climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, nature-based solutions, and digital geospatial technologies into urban planning and infrastructure development.

The government further committed to deepening collaboration with UN-Habitat and other international partners through technical cooperation, knowledge sharing, capacity development, and resource mobilization.

Dr. Cham stressed that achieving sustainable urban development requires collective action involving national governments, local authorities, development institutions, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector.

He called on the international community to provide greater support to Least Developed Countries through increased access to concessional financing, climate adaptation resources, risk-sharing mechanisms, and investments targeting secondary cities and informal settlements.

Sierra Leone also advocated for stronger and more predictable funding for UN-Habitat, alongside improved coordination between the United Nations system and international financial institutions to ensure that countries facing urban development challenges receive the necessary support.

On the margins of the meeting, Sierra Leone reaffirmed its partnership with UN-Habitat through an existing Memorandum of Understanding, highlighting opportunities for expanded technical assistance, investment partnerships, and knowledge exchange in the areas of urban planning, housing development, and land administration.

Concluding the national statement, Dr. Cham expressed Sierra Leone’s readiness to work with global partners to make the period leading to 2036 a “decade of implementation” focused on delivering secure land rights, affordable housing, climate-resilient communities, and inclusive urban opportunities.

He emphasized that sustainable urban development must ensure that “no one and no place is left behind” as Sierra Leone and the international community work toward building safer, more resilient, and inclusive cities.