Parliament of Sierra Leone

Key Facts

Head of State: President Julius Maada Bio 

Joined the Commonwealth: 1961

Capital City (location of Parliament): Freetown

Unicameral/Bicameral: Unicameral (134)

Further Information:

• Parliament of Sierra Leone
• IPU Sierra Leone Parliament
• CPA Country Directory
• CPA Africa Region 
• Commonwealth Secretariat
• UN Data
• BBC Country Profile
• British High Commission Freetown
• Sierra Leone High Commission London

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CPA UK & Sierra Leone

CPA UK and the Parliament of Sierra Leone have fostered a good relationship in the past few years. CPA UK has supported the Parliament of Sierra Leone since 2012, through a number of capacity building training programmes for both Members and staff in Freetown as well as in Westminster, covering issues like parliamentary practice and procedure, oversight scrutiny, legislative scrutiny, and committee management.

In the post-Ebola period in 2016, CPA UK provided technical assistance to Members and clerks of the Health and Sanitation Committee in Freetown as well as Westminster. In October 2017 and February 2018, CPA UK facilitated training programmes for committee
clerks and parliamentary staff to strengthen their capacity to undertake their work and to prepare for the new parliament following the 2018 elections.

CPA UK aims to establish a three-year strategic partnership (2018-2021) with the Parliament of Sierra Leone (PPP) setting out its future engagement strategy. The future strategy will aim to provide technical capacity building support to Members and staff of the Sierra Leone Parliament, encompassing but not limited to the current Sierra Leone Parliament Strategic Plan (2016-19). The strategic partnership will also draw on much of CPA UK’s work done in Sierra Leone in the last few years.

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Our Recent Programmes

Legislative Scrutiny Workshop, Remote/ virtual, 22-26 February 2021

Building on previous programmes delivered by CPA UK,
this three-day workshop focused on the key skills and techniques needed to effectively scrutinise legislation. Participants from the UK and Sierra Leone Parliaments, including Members, clerks, and parliamentary staff, exchanged knowledge and good practice on approaches to effective pre-legislative scrutiny. One half-day of the programme explored Standing Orders, their interpretation and implementation.

Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks, Remote/ virtual, 5-9 October 2020

Hosted by the British High Commission in Freetown, delegates from Sierra Leone met virtually with counterparts from the UK Parliament for a programme focussed on effective oversight and scrutiny through parliamentary committees. Participants compared committee procedure, discussed common challenges and solutions, and explored new ways of working required in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Further details available here.

Committee Scrutiny Workshop, Parliament of Sierra Leone, Freetown, 17-19 September 2019

A six-member CPA UK delegation visited Freetown to organise a committee scrutiny workshop for the Members and clerks of the Parliament of Sierra Leone. The three-day parliamentary strengthening workshop, organised in partnership with the Parliament of Sierra Leone, aimed to enhance the skills of parliamentarians and clerks to efficiently conduct committee inquiries. The CPA UK delegation also met key ministers, officials, and leading civil society members during their visit.

Westminster Study Visit for the Clerk of Parliament, Westminster, 4-6 December 2018

The Clerk of the Parliament of Sierra Leone visited Westminster on a three-day study visit to engage with UK clerks and officials. The programme focused on the role of the Clerk of Parliament, the practical management of the Clerk’s office, stakeholder management and the implementation of the strategy.

Post-Election Seminar for New Members, Freetown, 17 – 21 September 2018

CPA UK's post-election seminar aimed to support newly elected parliamentarians to strengthen their technical, communication and presentation skills, subsequently becoming more effective and confident in undertaking their parliamentary responsibilities. The programme was attended by more than 50 new parliamentarians. The UK delegation included John Mann, Angela Rayner and Justin Madders.

Africa-UK Public Accounts Committee Workshop 2018, Nairobi, 29 August - 1 September 2018

CPA UK organised an Africa- UK Public Accounts Committee workshop in Nairobi between 29 August and 1 September. The workshop aimed to enable Public Accounts Committees to fulfil their remit to scrutinise the value for money of public spending, to hold their governments to account for the delivery of public services, and to strengthen regional collaboration and seek opportunities for coordination. The workshop also provided an opportunity to participants to develop their technical skills and improve capacity through interactive exercises and knowledge and experience sharing. Around 45 delegates participated from 11 African countries.