By: Isatu Bai Kamara
Strengthening the financial foundation for environmental conservation has taken centre stage as the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) advance efforts to assess biodiversity-related spending and identify opportunities for sustainable financing in Sierra Leone.
The commitment emerged from a two-day Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) workshop held from October 20 to 21, 2026, at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room in Freetown. The workshop brought together representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve understanding of government expenditure on biodiversity and strengthen the country’s capacity to finance environmental protection.
The initiative forms part of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), which supports countries in identifying financing gaps and developing strategies to mobilise resources for biodiversity conservation.
Delivering the opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Finance Kadiatu Allie highlighted the importance of the exercise in strengthening environmental protection while improving the financing of Sierra Leone’s natural resources.
Madam Allie recalled that the Ministry of Finance, with support from UNDP, convened Sierra Leone’s first BIOFIN workshop in June 2020, establishing a foundation for national dialogue on biodiversity financing.
She emphasised that biodiversity extends beyond environmental protection, describing it as a critical economic resource that sustains livelihoods, enhances food security, strengthens climate resilience and contributes to sustainable economic growth.
According to the Deputy Minister, effective biodiversity financing requires reliable evidence to guide policymaking and ensure that resources are directed towards priority environmental interventions.
She explained that the Biodiversity Expenditure Review would provide a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity-related spending across government institutions and other relevant stakeholders, including development partners, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector.
The review is also expected to identify existing investments, financing gaps and expenditure trends, while highlighting opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of resources allocated to biodiversity conservation.
Madam Allie therefore encouraged participating institutions, development partners and non-state actors to provide accurate and comprehensive data to support the exercise. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating biodiversity and environmental considerations into national development planning, budgeting and resource mobilisation.
Technical discussions during the workshop focused on biodiversity financing opportunities, existing interventions and the methodologies required to assess expenditure accurately.
Sellu McCarthy, Head of the Climate Change Unit at the Ministry of Finance, delivered a presentation titled Biodiversity Financing in Sierra Leone: Opportunities, Challenges and the Role of Public Finance in Supporting Biodiversity Interventions.
His presentation highlighted initiatives such as the Western Area Peninsula Project and support from the Global Environment Facility, illustrating the role of public finance and development partnerships in advancing biodiversity-related interventions.
Victor Ogundeji, UNDP BIOFIN Finance Specialist, provided an overview of the BIOFIN programme in Sierra Leone, outlining its objectives, expected outputs and anticipated results.
He also explained the methodology for conducting the Biodiversity Expenditure Review, covering expenditure categories, coding systems, attribution approaches and expenditure classification.
Participants subsequently engaged in interactive question-and-answer sessions, seeking clarification on key concepts and discussing approaches to improve the accuracy and consistency of data collection for the review.
The workshop represents an important step towards strengthening Sierra Leone’s evidence base for biodiversity financing. By establishing a clearer picture of existing expenditure and investment priorities, the exercise is expected to support more informed decisions on environmental spending and resource allocation.
Following the workshop, a two-day retreat is scheduled to focus on collecting and submitting data on biodiversity-related programmes. The exercise will support UNDP’s final project drafting process and help establish a more comprehensive overview of the country’s biodiversity expenditure and financing requirements.
The findings are expected to help stakeholders identify opportunities to mobilise additional resources, address funding gaps and improve the coordination of investments in environmental conservation.
As Sierra Leone continues to pursue sustainable development, strengthening biodiversity financing remains essential to protecting its natural resources, supporting vulnerable livelihoods and building resilience against environmental and climate-related challenges.