NIB HOSTS PPD ON SDG INVESTOR MAP WITH SUPPORT FROM UNDP

The National Investment Board (NIB) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has yesterday, 25th September 2024, held a Public Private Dialogue (PPD) on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Investor Map in Makeni City for the Northh West and North East Regions.

The PPD was organized, to not only introduce the SDG Investor Map to private sector players, some regional government institutions and local authorities, but to also have their inputs to the content of the tool.

The SDG Investor Map, being developed by the Government of Sierra Leone, with the support of UNDP, identified four priority investment sectors (Agriculture, Health, Education and Renewable Energy) that have the potential to maximize impacts for sustainable development in Sierra Leone.

While making his Keynote statement, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, the Executive Director of NIB, thanked UNDP for their support towards the development and popularization of the SDG investor map. He opined that, NIB was created by an Act of Parliament in 2022 to promote investment opportunities in the country, facilitate investors and improve the overall investment climate.

He further stated that, the tool is a market intelligence tool that helps the private sector to identify investment themes in emerging markets aligned to government policies and national development needs, which hold a significant potential to advance the SDGs and as well containn a range of market-specific investment opportunities for SDG-aligned capital deployment, he said.

According to Mr. Abu Turay, the National Economics Specialist of UNDP, the SDG Investor Map is instrumental in supporting private sector mobilization and delivering national investment priorities and the SDGs. He noted that, the tool utilizes the established market intelligence to achieve SDG enabling capital deployment and ensure inclusive private sector participation and collaboration.

He said that, among other things, UNDP supported the development of the tool because the initiative was aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals or the Sierra Leone Medium Term National Development Plan (SLMTNDP) 2030, which was still the basis for development in all United Nation countries.

The participants appreciated the tool, saying that it was very relevant to improving the country's investment strides towards economic growth. They however, recommended key areas to be included in the content of the tool as emerging investment opportunity areas: poultry and aquaculture, animal husbandry, processing and packaging facility. They also asked for clarification of tax and non-tax incentives and more.

Dr. Sandy, responded to their numerous but relevant questions and concerns, saying they have been taken note off for action.