By Ebrima S. Jallow
The Directorate of Development Planning of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) on the 21st December 2023 invited stakeholders to take part in the validation workshop of the draft Green Recovery Focused National Development Plan (RF-NDP 2023-2027).
In his opening statement, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr. Abdoulie Jallow stated that the formulation of the RF-NDP comes at a time when the world is grappling with the impacts of COVID- 19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, which have affected economies including The Gambia’s.
He further noted that the draft RF-NDP has undergone highly inclusive and participatory consultations and engagements with all relevant stakeholders at the ward, regional and national levels in the country. “These consultations provided a platform for stakeholders to provide inputs into the formulation process. Once finalised and adopted, the RF-NDP will address the recovery needs of the country and provide development partners an avenue to align their support to the country’s recovery and medium-term development needs. It will also help to address the triple development challenges such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and the risk of debt distress,’’ he explained.
For the Secretary-General and Head of Civil Service, Madam Salimatta Touray, the Plan reflects the key policy priorities of the Government and that is in line with the principle of “leaving no one behind”.
She affirmed that the successful implementation of the RF-NDP requires strong institutional and human capacity at all levels, citing the importance of the role of the civil service and the public sector in the effective implementation of the Plan.
The SG went on to describe the public sector as the ‘steel frame’ for reforms and improved service delivery for the attainment of national development objectives. Accordingly, she said, the government will develop and support institutional capacity for the effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the RF-NDP and also invest in a robust results management system that will underpin the plan.
To ensure enhanced coordination, she promised that her office will revitalise the Permanent Secretaries’ Retreat/Forum which will bring them together to report on the implementation and share experiences. “This,’’ she added, “will strengthen the whole-of-government approach that is required for the plan’s implementation.’’
The draft NDP sets out the country’s development objectives for governance and institutional reforms, macroeconomic stability and growth, human capital development, agricultural and fisheries development, environmental management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, infrastructural development and connectivity, poverty reduction, and resilience building among others. It will serve as the vehicle for implementing Agenda 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063. Implementation of the RF-NDP requires effective and efficient coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders including development partners.
