Sierra Leone is turning over a new leaf. The return of peace to this small, west African state has given it the chance to redeem itself and to restore its name on the international stage. There is a long way to go. In the last decade, the country has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons following a bitter civil conflict that cost thousands of lives and traumatised a generation of children.

‘Planning the way forward’ Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah

The scars are still healing. When British troops landed in 2000 to repel rebel forces advancing on the capital, Freetown, it marked a new dawn for the country and its five million people. Peace negotiations led to a cease-fire in May 2001, followed by democratic elections a year later.

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, the first Muslim premier, was elected with a massive majority on a platform to rebuild the country and restore order. An international peacekeeping force, the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (Unamsil), is set to be withdrawn soon – the country is about to stand on its own two feet once again.

A former British protectorate, Sierra Leone – which became an independent republic in 1961 – has always maintained strong links with the UK. It is now appealing for financial commitments from the international community to help in the reconstruction process. Much of the country’s infrastructure was destroyed by the war, leaving the economy at a low ebb.

Determined efforts by the government to repair the damage, and a new sense of commitment and hope among the people to move on, has helped Sierra Leone travel a long distance in a short space of time. There are noticeable improvements in the transport sector, and there is greater political will to tackle difficult issues such as corruption.

Determined efforts by the government to repair the damage caused by war have coincided with a popular will for change

President Kabbah says outsiders should not label Sierra Leone as a hostile place just because of the past 10 years. Its recent history does not rightfully reflect a place that was once regarded as the ‘Athens of west Africa’, an indication of its former glory as one of the academic and cultural capitals of the region.

The country was destabilised by external forces and attempts to seize control of the lucrative diamond mines. The ordinary people of Sierra Leone are among the friendliest in west Africa.

“Sierra Leone has always been a peaceful country,” he says. “It did not have a history of serious conflict before the civil war. It is a country where you could find Christians and Muslims living peacefully together, where they marry without problems.”
The reconstruction process goes on. As well as rebuilding the physical infrastructure, there are attempts to heal the social consequences of the war, including the re-integration of thousands of soldiers back into the community. The process includes a special court to investigate war crimes.

One of the top priorities is to ensure that the people of Sierra Leone have access to basic amenities like healthcare, food, water and electricity. The government has pledged to eliminate hunger by 2007, the end of its term in office. Foreign investment will be key to restoring agricultural production, injecting momentum into the mining industry – that was once the world’s biggest supplier of rutile – and re-launching the tourist sector.
President Kabbah says he wants to encourage a new era of self-confidence, with the private sector as the engine of growth. There is talk of privatisation of state companies, a new investment code has been introduced, and there is public commitment towards transparency and decentralisation.

The donor community has worked closely with the government, supporting the reforms with substantial aid packages. Initial results have been impressive, with robust growth of over 6 per cent in 2003.
Though the economy remains weak, there is at last a chance to turn things around. “We are now planning the way forward – reducing poverty, extending the economy throughout the country and working actively against corruption.”

‘Stability will inspire confidence’ Solomon Berewa

There is a broad consensus that it is time to move on and forget the past. Vice President Solomon Berewa says the goals are very simple, although everything hinges on the consolidation of peace and security.

A prolonged period of stability will inspire confidence among businessmen, tourists and locals. Here, the regional pull of Nigeria and organisations like the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) will be of vital importance.

It will be good for the population, good for the economy and good for investors. Only then will Sierra Leone be in a position to reconstruct its social infrastructure and reverse years of decline. “Then we can start real development.”