BMZ Delegation Pays Courtesy Call to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Sierra Leone

By Abdul Kaprr Dumbuya

“As a Ministry, we are so far very impressed with the operations of the CPS Programme in Sierra Leone. Their programmes are indeed aligned with government’s development priorities…”, Development Secretary, Ambrose James, Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone.

On Monday 17^th November 2025, a high powered delegation from BMZ, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany, met with the Development Secretary and a cross section of his team at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) in Freetown.

The team is currently in a week-long visit to Sierra Leone to meet with their partners and some local communities that have been benefiting from their funding support over the years. During the courtesy call, discussions focused on strengthening cooperation within the Mano River Union, particularly in advancing a sustainable development trajectory for the region. BMZ has been supporting the Mano River Union (MRU) Civil Peace Service (CPS) programmes through Bread for the World (BftW) and AGIAMONDO for over twenty years to promote peace-building, social cohesion and community development.

The delegation, which constituted Konstantin Goedicke and Fabian Melchers from BMZ, the Head of BftW-CPS Programme, Leon Schettler, the BftW-CPS Programme Manager, Martina Grahl and BftW-CPS MRU Project Officer, Leonie Klapper, emphasized the critical importance of peace-building and access to justice as essential pillars for long-term stability. They also highlighted the significant role of community cohesion and capacity building for local structures, noting that these are fundamental in holding communities together and fostering resilience. Other members of the visit included the representative of BMZ in Sierra Leone, Johannes Behrens, the National Coordinators of the BftW and AGIAMONDO CPS programmes in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Adenike Antonia Cole, Marion Koerbel and Manfred Rink respectively, and Rev. Fr. Peter Conteh, Executive Director, Caritas.

The Development Secretary, Mr. Ambrose James, welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Minister and highlighted the challenges posed by a shrinking funding landscape over the years, noting the need for strategic adaptation. He emphasized the importance of exploring opportunities within the private sector to support ongoing development initiatives. He further stressed the need to identify and appropriately utilize funding opportunities that can help maximize ongoing efforts in ensuring sustainable natural resource management across the country. He further emphasized the need for all development programs to align with government national priorities, in order to enhance coordination and effectiveness. To this end, Mr. James and the Head of NGO Desk at the MoPED, Mr. Eric Massalay, lauded the operations of the BftW-CPS Programme for being very compliant and supportive to government and local communities.

The courtesy call provided an opportunity for renewed commitment from all for strengthening partnership between the CPS Programme and the MoPED. Discussions reaffirmed the shared priorities of promoting peace, enhancing access to justice, empowering communities, and aligning development initiatives with national priorities.