By Brima Bangura
International partners monitoring Sierra Leone’s post-election political agreement on Monday urged faster and more inclusive reforms, warning that progress remains uneven despite continued dialogue between the government and opposition.
A joint mission by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), and the Commonwealth said it had concluded a week-long visit to assess implementation of the October 2023 Agreement for National Unity.
The group, known as the “International Moral Guarantors,” said it welcomed commitments by President Julius Maada Bio’s government and the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) to rebuild trust and sustain engagement following disputed elections.
However, the mission said the pace of implementation of key recommendations from the tripartite committee set up under the agreement had been inconsistent.
“While progress has been made, implementation remains ongoing and requires strengthened collaboration, inclusivity and transparency,” the group said in a statement issued at the end of its April 13–20 visit.
The delegation met with Bio, senior government officials, opposition leaders, electoral authorities, security agencies, civil society groups and members of the diplomatic corps.
It welcomed the introduction of a constitutional amendment bill in parliament as part of broader institutional reforms but called for wider consultations and faster action to ensure credibility.
Political tensions have lingered in Sierra Leone since the June 2023 elections, which the opposition rejected, alleging irregularities. The Agreement for National Unity was brokered to ease tensions and restore cooperation between rival parties.
During the visit, the international mission also intervened in disputes within the tripartite steering committee overseeing implementation of the agreement, facilitating dialogue between the government and the APC.
The parties agreed to restructure and expand the committee to improve balance, transparency and coordination, the statement said.
The guarantors urged all stakeholders to maintain momentum, warning that sustained commitment would be critical to safeguarding democratic stability in the West African nation.
