Sierra Leone Fails to Meet U S Fiscal Transparency Standards

Sierra Leone has been listed among countries that failed to meet the minimum fiscal transparency requirements, according to the 2025 Fiscal Transparency Report (FTR) released Monday by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs.

Covering the review period from January 1 to December 31, 2024, the report found that the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) “did not meet international standards of independence” and made “no significant progress” toward fiscal reforms. Although the ASSL continues to conduct annual audits of government accounts, it was flagged for lacking financial and managerial autonomy.

The report further noted that the government did not fully comply with legal requirements in awarding contracts and licenses for natural resource extraction, and that information on public procurement contracts was not publicly accessible.