Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, 9 October 2025
The Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), Ambassador Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina, held a high-level side meeting with the UNHCR Director, Regional Bureau for West & Central Africa, Abdourakuf Gnon-Konde, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The engagement formed part of Sierra Leone’s participation in the 76th UNHCR Executive Committee (ExCom) Session and centered on deepening strategic cooperation and advocacy for durable solutions for refugees and host communities.
The leaders focused on mobilizing donor support, strengthening institutional capacity, and advancing policy reforms to enhance refugee protection and integration in Sierra Leone.
The NaCSA Commissioner underscored the urgent need for joint advocacy between UNHCR and NaCSA to unlock critical funding for refugee programming through engagement with UNDP and other donor partners. He highlighted the “Tenki Salone Project,” as a flagship initiative supporting the phase-out strategy for the remaining refugee caseload in approximately nine communities —by promoting durable solutions and preventing statelessness.
Ambassador Ndomahina also called for multi-donor support to scale socio-economic infrastructure projects benefiting both refugees and host communities, thereby fostering peaceful coexistence.
Ambassador Ndomahina appealed for UNHCR’s diplomatic intervention to expedite the release of the ECOWAS-approved humanitarian fund of $287,000, earmarked for identity documentation and cash transfers to vulnerable refugees. He emphasized that the timely disbursement of this fund would sustain momentum and credibility in Sierra Leone’s regional humanitarian cooperation efforts.
Ambassador Ndomahina further called for UNHCR’s support in advocating for the Free Movement of Persons and Migration (FMM) and Demand Driven Facility (DDR) initiatives under the ECOWAS–EU partnership. He emphasized the importance of cross-border coordination and proper legal documentation to promote safe passage, facilitate reintegration, and prevent irregular migration across the sub-region.
Reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to international refugees’ protection standards, Ambassador Ndomahina announced plans to revise the 2007 Refugee Protection Act. He requested UNHCR’s technical guidance in resolving the institutional conflict of interest in NaCSA’s dual role in both Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and appeals processes.
In closing, Ambassador Ndomahina acknowledged UNHCR’s leadership and longstanding partnership with Sierra Leone. He reaffirmed Government’s commitment to advancing regional cooperation, and proposed a follow-up technical session focused on GCR-GCM complementarity and differentiated protection procedures.
NaCSA reaffirmed its willingness to share registration data with UNHCR to improve coordination and visibility. The Commissioner called for technical support to strengthen the refugee database and restore the country’s RSD infrastructure.
Responding to the Commissioner, the UNHCR West & Central Africa Regional Bureau Director, Abdourakuf Gnon-Konde, commended the Government of President Julius Maada Bio for his deliberate actions in addressing the numerous challenges faced by refugees and displaced persons in the sub-region.
He requested the Commissioner to facilitate a working visit to Sierra Leone.
“Mr. Commissioner, your President is doing a lot for Sierra Leone and the Sub-region. We want to visit him to see how we can learn from his valuable experience as Chair of ECOWAS in dealing with Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Sierra Leone, and share our experience with him about the 13 million IDPs and refugees with DRC having the highest number”, he said.
He reaffirmed his Organisation’s support in deepening refugees’ protection and cooperation on multilateral and global issues, leveraging Sierra Leone’s sub-regional experience.
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Information Attaché | Geneva, Switzerland