Development of Sierra

Leone

Muhammad Maladoh Bah

BEED2013 Economic development

Content

Brief history about Sierra Leone

Impact of the war

Development in economic context

Agricultural sector

Infrastructure and transportation

Social development: poverty and inequality

Human Development

Health

Education

Some development success

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1787 1924 1930 1950 1960

Establishme

nt of

constitution

Brief history of Sierra Leone before independence 1787-1961

First western

settlement of

Sierra Leone

Discovery

of

diamonds

in kono

district

The great diamond rush

Sierra Leone becomes an independent state on 27April 1961

1991 1994 1995 2000 2001

• RUF takes over

diamond areas.

• The capital

Freetown is

threatened

RUF launch an invasion from Liberia

Sierra Leone hires private army

• UN expand peace keeping forces.

• Disarmament of rebels begin

• Security measures put in place

• The war ends

The civil war (1991-2001)

The lasting legacy of the civil war.

(1991-2001)

The lasting legacy of the civil war

Impact on development

Human rights violation

Poverty became

widespread

Poor quality of life

Human resource

development was

neglected:

Health centers and clinics were

looted and left unguided

Literacy rates fell below

32%

The civil war and its impact (1991-20001)

The war had traumatic consequences for sierra Leone

The civil war had a lasting impact on the socio-economic

and political order

the agricultural sector was badly affected

Poverty became widespread and acute

Living standards fell

Major sectors was destabilized

Infrastructure was down

The public health care sector was practically destroyed

Sierra Leone development

Economic Context

Agricultural and mineral sector drives the economy

Mining sector contribution to GDP is expected to rise from

4% in 2011 to 22% in 2013

Agriculture accounts for the largest GDP share, 42% in 2013

Agricultural sector employs 70% of labor force

Service sector has 28% share of GDP

GDP growth

Agricultural sector

Sierra Leone is predominantly an agricultural economy (42% GDP

share)

Improvements in agricultural sector after the war.

Suffers from rapid rural-urban migration by youths.

Agriculture has the potential to accelerate socio-economic development.

During the period 2014-2016 economy is expected to grow by 12%

driven by agriculture and construction.

Main employer (70% of current labor force)

Agriculture

Infrastructure and transportation

Social context: Poverty and inequality

Sierra Leone has made some progress in the socio-economic

indicators after the war

Significant challenges in socio-economic development

Sierra Leone Integrated household survey (SLIHS) 2011 indicate a

decrease in poverty from 66% in 2003 to 53.9% 2011

The decline in poverty was more in urban areas

Poverty MPI: Multidimensional poverty index

(%)0.439

Inequality Inequality

Inequality-adjusted HDI value

0.210

Source: UNDP (international human

development indicators)

Social context

Development relating to

social context

Poverty and

inequality

Youth challenges

Gender inequality

Human Development context

2010: 0.364

2011: 0.348

2012: 0.359

Source: UNDP

HDI trends (1980-2012)

Source: UNDP (Human

development report 2013)

Health

Healthcare is a serious issue that needs to be tackled quickly.

health care facilities has been reconstructed.

In 2007 Sierra Leone had the highest child mortality rate

Life expectancy is 48 years.

Child mortality has decreased from 302 deaths/1000 live births to 192

deaths/1000 live births.

Epidemic outbreaks such as cholera, yellow fever and continue to harm the

population.

On April 27, Sierra Leone started free health care for pregnant women, new

mothers and young children.

Health

Healthcare worker in a

clinicHospital in Freetown

Education

• Sierra Leone has managed to rebuild school.

• Successfully reintegrating majority of child-soldiers back into school

• There is a high demand for education.

• The government established the Education act in 2004,empahasising

the removal of school fees and compulsory education.

• Adult mean years of schooling is 3.3 years

Development success

Recent economic performance is strong

Self-sufficient administration of electoral system

Establishments of Saturday courts to tackle gender violence

Free health care for pregnant women and young mothers (2010)

Set up National youth commission (2010) to tackle youth unemployment

Rostow’s growth model

Traditional society

Pre-conditions for take-off

Take-off

Drive to maturity

High mass consumption

The situation of Sierra Leone can be

characterized as being in the second

stage (Pre-conditions for take-off)