Welcome to the Political Section of the U.S. Mission in Sierra Leone

The Political Section is responsible for assisting the Ambassador in analyzing Sierra Leone’s domestic political affairs and foreign relations, and furthering U. S. foreign policy to promote peace, security and prosperity in Sierra Leone. The Section maintains close contact with Sierra Leone’s government through bilateral dialogue and other diplomatic engagement, programming, and policy implementation.

The  PoliticalSection collaborates with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other members of civil society, including universities, faith-based communities, the media, women’s organization and other interest groups. A major component of the  Section’s coordination with civil society involves supporting Sierra Leone’s efforts to strengthen democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

As in 2015, during the year 2016, the political Section will continue focusing on, supporting Sierra Leone’s efforts to address the human rights, democracy, and security challenges connected with recovery from the Ebola crisis. Among our priorities for 2016, are coordinating with Sierra Leone government agencies, civil society and international governmental and multilateral partners to support democracy, good governance, transparency and accountability in relation to the National Population and Housing Census, the Constitutional Review Committee, and the national jurisdictional boundary demarcation and related initiatives in the preparatory steps for 2018 national elections.

The Section actively coordinates with other diplomatic missions, civil society, and multilateral institutions to fund an array of programmming activities to support Sierra Leone’s efforts to further democracy, security, human rights, good governance, and respect for the rule of law. These include:

• Partnering with a United Nations Development Program initiative that ensures bail and sentencing procedures in Sierra Leone are fairer, more consistent and predictable, equitable, and in line with severity of crimes committed. A distingushed working group of members from Sierra Leone’s judiciary and other representatives of the legal profession, law enforcement community, and civil society and developing these new guideelines. A major goal of this project to alleviate overcropwding and dangerous conditions in Sierra Leone’s correctional centers.
• Supporting the ground-breaking work of the NGO Dignity Association to strengthen the Human Rights Commission of the Sierra Leone’s (HRCSL) capacity to understand the specific human rights concerns of members of the LGBTI community and raise awareness about how the HRCSL can assist in protecting the human rights of LGBTI persons.
• Supporting Partners for Democratic Change and Campaign for Good Governance to foster greater government accountability. The project uses innovative methods to enable journalists and other members of civil society to track corruption cases through the court system, monitor the performance of judges, and leverage access to information to improve public services and encourage greater citizen engagement.
• Supporting the Sierra Leone Labor Congress’ effort to combat trafficking in persons and child labor in the informal sector, including through an innovative radio program that raises awareness about the plight of child laborers.
• Funding the faith-based organization, World Hope International to operate the only shelter specifically for trafficking victims in Sierra Leone.
• Building Sierra Leone’s capacity of fight transnational organized crime by operationalizing the Sierra Leone Government Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU). On September 21, 2015, Ambassador Hoover and the Minister of Internal Affairs conducted a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the new TOCU headquarters building in Hastings, near Freetown.

Contact Information

Political Affairs Section
Embassy of the United States of America
Southridge – Hill Station
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Telephone: (232) 099-105 130, ext. 5120, 5130
Office Hours:  Monday – Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:15 PM;
Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM