Sierra Leone has implemented Meridian, an advanced Commonwealth Secretariat software, to better manage its public debt portfolio.
This upgrade will enable the government to track loans and repayments in real time, improving financial transparency and decision-making.
At the government’s request, the Secretariat held a hands-on workshop in Freetown from 17 to 28 February 2025, bringing together 30 debt officers from the Finance Ministry, Central Bank and Accountant General’s Office.
Funded by the African Development Bank, the workshop helped participants transfer debt data to the new software and gain essential skills in recording, analysing and managing different types of loans.
The workshop also explained how to fully utilise various software features, including tools to track borrowing, monitor repayments and generate financial reports.
A welcomed development
During the workshop, Mathew Sandy, Director of Sierra Leone’s Public Debt Management Division, welcomed the implementation of Meridian.
He said:
“This robust software will allow us to record and manage all our public debt portfolios in a single system, ensuring comprehensiveness and enhancing the efficiency of public debt management in Sierra Leone.
“Meridian’s web-based and user-friendly capabilities would also enhance collaboration across key government institutions and stakeholders to promote transparent and prudent debt management practices.”
Meridian replaces its predecessor, the Commonwealth Secretariat: Debt Recording and Management System (CS-DRMS), which has supported Sierra Leone in managing its public debt since 1993.
Making debt work for development
Speaking about the workshop, Dr Ruth Kattumuri, Senior Director of the Secretariat’s Economic, Youth and Sustainable Development Directorate, said:
“Public debt management directly affects a country’s ability to finance essential public services, including healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
“Through sustainable debt management, the government can borrow responsibly, avoid excessive debt and will be able to access development finance to ensure required funding for projects that improve people’s lives.
“With the help of Commonwealth Meridian, Sierra Leone’s government will be able to make smarter financial decisions, reduce risks, and plan for the future more effectively, leading to a stronger economy, achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a better future for all its people.”
The upgraded Meridian software is offered to member countries as part of the Commonwealth’s debt management programme, which includes advocacy and policy support for formulating debt management strategies.
Media contact
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Snober Abbasi, Senior Communications Officer, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
