AA-SL Strategic Partnership

External Partners

A partnership was developed between CIVICUS and AA- SL in 2010 with the shared vision of strengthening civil society in order to build a community of informed, inspired, committed citizens engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity. We believe civil society must achieve the highest possible levels of honesty and openness in order to work effectively for the communities we serve.

ProConcept from Serbia, an NGO with real experience in post conflict transitions to democracy has also been approached. If this partnership were to hold, it will be a recipe for good collaboration, as the successes of ProConcept with NGO Accountability in other post conflict nations, gets adapted to our own local situation.

AA-SL was privileged to have a  Governance Specialist and consultant Jadranka Foster who pushed hard for partnership with credible Institutions from around the world.

National Partners

Here in Sierra Leone, there are a good number of initiatives with familiar ring tones on accountability and transparency, governance and corruption. Since our registration in November of 2009, we have been (and continue to be) in consultations with a number of credible NGOs/CSOs/Institutions including the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO), World Vision, Tear Fund, Christian Aid, ENCISS, Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI), Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), Civil Society Movement (CSM), National Accountability Group (NAG) and several more, all of whom have demonstrated commitment to participate.

The country’s anti-corruption and graft fighting institution the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has expressed willingness to collaborate and work in joint-areas of interest. Both parties are still in consultation to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two organizations.

In these initiatives we foresee greater space for collaboration, and complementarity. AA-SL will continue to push these partnerships aimed at building a willing coalition amongst the network of organizations considered critical in raising the stake on accountability matters.

Donors

Consultations have been made with donors such as UNDP, EU, DFID, and the British High Commission (BHC). The developments partners are keen in listening to us make the case and we feel excited they will be a part of this process.

As we campaign to promote transparency and accountability, and lobby partners, government and donors; the media would be a strong advocate to help spread the message around. AA-SL will canvass such media houses to enhance their coverage of the issues and get constituents to listen.

The partnership we seek is not about finger-pointing, but one which seeks solutions, achieving consensus, and joint action to improve things for citizens. We favor an inclusive approach that deepens accountability practices so that it works for our people.
There is no doubt in our mind that a good number of Sierra Leonean NGOs/CSOs mean well for the beneficiaries they are representing. We think they care about the issues of accountability and being transparent in their operations, for if they don’t, then they really have no business being established in the first instance.

AA-SL has put together a paper on the development of these startegic partnerships.