Freetown: The Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) Workshop, jointly organised by the Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), brought together representatives from government institutions, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen support for biodiversity conservation through sustainable financing. Held on 16 and 17 June 2026, the workshop formed part of Sierra Leone's broader effort to align national development priorities with environmental sustainability and global biodiversity commitments.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, Director of the Climate Finance Division, Sellu McCarthy, said the engagement was designed to deepen understanding of the BIOFIN methodology and identify practical options for mobilising and managing resources for biodiversity programmes. He explained that participants were introduced to the BIOFIN framework, which covers four main components: biodiversity expenditure review, financial needs assessment, policy and institutional review, and preparation of a national biodiversity finance plan.
McCarthy added that the next step would be development of a comprehensive Biodiversity Finance Plan for Sierra Leone, outlining priority actions, financing mechanisms, and institutional responsibilities needed to secure sustainable funding for conservation. Deputy Minister of Finance 2, Madam Jenneh Jabati, said UNDP launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative in 2012 and has since built one of the world's largest partnerships tackling biodiversity loss. She noted that the initiative now works with more than 130 countries, while 41 have mobilised over US$2.7 billion for nature finance.
Jabati said the programme's support has now extended to newer member countries such as Sierra Leone and urged stakeholders to produce a strong national Biodiversity Finance Plan capable of securing long-term financing at scale. She stressed that the initiative could help attract greater resources for climate action, especially where countries can show clear systems for allocating and tracking biodiversity and climate-resilience spending. She said institutionalising biodiversity tagging and demonstrating commitment would improve access to concessional finance, grants, green bonds, and blended finance instruments.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change, Hon. Yusuf Mackery, said 70 percent of Sierra Leoneans depend on marine ecosystems for their livelihoods. He warned that mangroves, wetlands, forests, and rivers must be protected to prevent economic losses and safeguard national development. Discussions during the workshop also underscored the need to integrate biodiversity concerns into national planning and budgeting. The Ministry of Finance highlighted the importance of aligning fiscal policy with environmental goals, particularly in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and mining, sectors with direct impacts on biodiversity.
UNDP, meanwhile, provided technical guidance on innovative financing options, including biodiversity offsets, green bonds, environmental taxes, and public-private partnerships.