The Government of Sierra Leone demonstrated its commitment in the financial year 2021 to fund the administrative and electoral programmes of the Commission. Additionally, the Government of Sierra Leone continues to fund the construction of regional offices and warehouse in Bo and Kenema. Rehabilitation of National Headquarters and Data Centre and Warehouse at Wellington.

Note: The Commission faced similar challenges in 2021 in respect of delays in receiving its quarterly budgetary support which was crucial to the critical timing of implementing the above-mentioned electoral programmes.

The European Union Office in Sierra Leone also supported the electoral programmes of the Commission under the project titled “Support to the Electoral Cycle in Sierra Leone”. In the financial year 2021, the above-mentioned project provided budgetary support for the conduct of the following activities:

• The Official Launch of the National Electoral Commission 2020-2024 Strategic Plan held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown on Thursday 6th May 2021;
• A National Task Force Conference on the Election Observer Mission 2018 Recommendations held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on Thursday 17th June 2021;
• A National Conference on Electoral Legal Reforms held at the New Brookfields Hotel on Tuesday 10th to Thursday 12th August 2021;
• An Inaugural meeting of the EC-SL Disability Stakeholders Coordination Group at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown held on Thursday 28th October 2021;
• An Inaugural meeting of the EC-SL Gender Stakeholders Coordination Group held at the New Brookfields Hotel on Thursday 4th November 2021;
• A Disability Stakeholders Coordination Group (second) meeting held at the New Brookfields Hotel on the 6th December 2021;
• A Training for ICT and Data Management Staff members conducted by an international Consultant- Mohammad Khan held at the EC-SL Wellington premises in November and December 2021.

The Commission notes with appreciation that all of the activities listed above were funded directly by the European Union Office in Sierra Leone in 2021. The Commission also recognizes the support by IDEA International for the Virtual Consultation session for Commissioners and Management on the implementation of the Election Risk Matrix (ERM) Tool for Sierra Leone and a 3 days Stakeholder Risk Mapping and Voter Education Consultation Workshop held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown.