VZCZCXRO1141
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0379/01 2141049
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 011049Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2083
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000379 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018 
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV SL
SUBJECT: UNDP ENHANCING COLLABORATION & FOCUS IN SIERRA 
LEONE 
 
REF: FREETOWN 267 
 
Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1.4(b/d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Perry and Poloff met with Samuel 
Nyambi, Resident Representative for UNDP, on July 10. Mr. 
Nyambi will spend approximately two months in Sierra Leone to 
provide needed guidance to the UNDP mission, which has 
suffered somewhat over the past seven months due to lack of 
leadership at the highest level. He discussed his priorities 
for the UNDP country program, which include the mining 
sector, providing assistance to the President with regards to 
strategy and policy, and finalizing the Poverty Reduction 
Strategy Paper. He also wants to create mechanisms for 
regular communication between UNDP and donors on key issues, 
and encouraging inter-donor engagement. Though Mr. Nyambi 
intends to leave by the end of August, his brief mission here 
has and will continue to lay the groundwork for a stronger 
UNDP country office following his departure. End Summary. 
 
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UNDP IN SIERRA LEONE 
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¶2. (C) Mr. Nyambi explained that Sierra Leone is one of eight 
countries in Africa where the Executive Representative of the 
Secretary-General (ERSG)  also wears the hat of the UNDP 
Resident Representative. While the bulk of the day-to-day 
work is conducted under this arrangement by the Country 
Director, the ERSG normally provides leadership and manages 
25-30% of the workload. Since the departure of the previous 
ERSG, Victor Angelo, in December 2007, the UNDP Country 
Director has had difficulty absorbing the additional work. 
Mr. Nyambi, retired from full-time employment with UNDP, was 
sent to Sierra Leone to shoulder some of that responsibility, 
and provide some needed guidance and focus. His mission 
coincides with that of the Acting ERSG Michael v. der 
Schulenberg (reftel A), and he will help the A/ERSG shape the 
proposed follow-on mission to UNIOSIL following the 
completion of its mandate September 30. Given the A/ERSG's 
frequent assertion, both publicly and privately, that 
development needs to be the UN focus in Sierra Leone, Mr. 
Nyambi will play a pivotal advisory role in determining what 
the UN presence will look like here in the future. 
 
¶3. (C) Mr. Nyambi highlighted the primary areas of importance 
for UNDP in Sierra Leone, noting that the local elections 
were a considerable undertaking for the office. Attention 
will now be placed on several issues, including: assisting 
the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to renegotiate mining 
concessions; establishing a Strategy and Policy Unit within 
the Office of the President; and finalizing the Poverty 
Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). The PRSP work is 
particularly critical, because the GoSL has an ambitious 
timeline planned for its validation in order to hold a 
consultation with stakeholders in October. Mr. Nyambi sees 
the role of UNDP in this process is to ensure that as many 
stakeholders, including local civil society groups, are 
active in validating the strategy, and that the consultation 
in October hosts traditional and emerging donors. Another 
area of potential focus is the maritime sector, and he 
expressed interest in closely collaborating with the Mission 
on maritime security efforts, as well as development of the 
fishing sector. 
 
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USG EFFORTS AND DONOR COORDINATION 
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¶4. (C)  Ambassador Perry outlined the Mission's key areas of 
engagement with regards to programming, putting special 
emphasis on issues of rising importance, including health and 
encouraging trade and investment. She indicated that it would 
be worthwhile to systematically share information about USG 
funding with other donors, but that there is no structure in 
place to do so. Mr. Nyambi agreed with this statement, 
stating that there is a need for regular engagement between 
the GoSL and donors, as well as between donors. Both agreed 
that duplication of efforts is a potential problem that must 
be avoided to make effective use of the development funds 
available. The Ministry of Finance and International 
Development is now receiving direct budget support from UNDP, 
and will be taking the lead on development issues. Mr. Nyambi 
is aware that the Minister of Finance and International 
Development intends to call a meeting with key donors in the 
near future, and UNDP will encourage the Minister to call 
such meetings with regular frequency. 
 
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COMMENT 
 
FREETOWN 00000379  002 OF 002 
 
 
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¶5. (C) Mr. Nyambi's mission brings focus to important topics 
in the short-term, and is also creating long-term direction 
to the UNDP and larger UN mission. The key issues he 
highlighted are significant, especially strengthening the 
fishing and mining sectors, finalizing the once-dormant PRSP, 
and building capacity within the government. Ensuring better 
coordination among and between all stakeholders, including 
the GoSL and donors, is also significant and would meet a 
need often noted by the Ambassador and other senior members 
of the international community. Finally, Mr. Nyambi's 
position as advisor to the A/ERSG will be critical in 
assisting with the development of the UNIOSIL follow-on 
mission. His presence in-country is a sign that high-level UN 
officials in New York are cognizant of the void left by the 
previous ERSG's departure, and the need for strong leadership 
and guidance within the UN system in Sierra Leone. End 
Comment. 
PERRY