The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, with support from the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP), has commenced a nationwide assessment of beaches and islands alongside community engagement sessions geared towards developing a Beach and Island Management Tourism Policy and Management Plan. The exercise began with field assessments and engagements across major coastal destinations including Lumley-Aberdeen, Levuma, Lakka, Hamilton, and Number Two River Beach.
Sierra Leone’s 530-kilometre coastline boasts pristine beaches, diverse islands, rich biodiversity, and significant historical sites. However, despite these vast tourism assets, the country continues to grapple with environmental degradation, weak governance structures, and gaps in sustainable coastal management. The new policy aims to address these concerns by formulating a comprehensive Beach and Island Tourism Policy anchored on a strategic vision, clear priorities, measurable indicators, and an Integrated Sustainable Beach and Island Management Plan, including a Coastal Action Plan covering both coastal and riverine islands.
During the community engagement at Number Two River Beach, the headman of the community welcomed the delegation, noting that Number Two remains a model of community-driven tourism development and home to one of Sierra Leone’s finest beaches. Product Development Manager of the National Tourist Board, Umaru Woody, emphasized that the consultations are designed to gather community insights on challenges and opportunities, enabling the Ministry and its partners to craft sustainable solutions for beach management through the new policy, while SLEDP’s Tourism Specialist, Prince Gaima, highlighted government’s commitment to diversifying the economy by investing in tourism infrastructure and strengthening policy frameworks. He noted that this commitment gave rise to the beach and island policy, with the World Bank-backed SLEDP ready to support the Ministry throughout the process.
Director of Tourism, Travel and Exchange Program, Mohamed Jalloh commended the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis, for her leadership in implementing the vision of President Julius Maada Bio for a proper and sustainable island and beach management policy. He explained that the initiative was triggered by reports of poor management practices along several beaches. He stressed that the forthcoming policy will eventually translate into enforceable laws addressing sea erosion, waste management, governance, and the long-term vision for Sierra Leone’s coastal resources. He urged communities to take ownership of the process, as they are the primary custodians of the beaches.
The consultants leading the exercise, Eduardo Martinez Dominguez and Patricia Hidria from Spain, both experienced in similar international project affirmed their commitment to developing a document that reflects the aspirations of the communities. They engaged residents in group sessions to identify challenges, opportunities, and actionable recommendations that will inform the policy. The Beach and Island Tourism Policy formulation process is expected to continue with similar engagements across beaches and islands nationwide.
MTCA Communications
