It is a profound honour to stand here today, on behalf of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and indeed, on behalf of all our esteemed development partners, to witness the Chief Minister officially launch the 2026 Population and Housing Census on behalf of His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Retired Brigadier Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
We commend the Government’s leadership in prioritizing this critically important national exercise. The data collected from the census will determine where schools are built, where health services are expanded and how resources are distributed to ensure that the furthest behind are reached first.
As the technical lead agency for the census, UNFPA understands that the integrity of the final count rests entirely on the thoroughness of our preparation. The Pilot Census is the single most important mechanism to safeguard that integrity, as it subjects the entire census machinery to an uncompromising stress test.
In line with our global mandate to strengthen national capacity for population data generation, UNFPA is honoured to be providing sustained technical assistance, capacity building, and coordination support to the census process. Our role is to ensure that this census not only counts every person, but also produces high-quality, disaggregated data that accurately reflects the needs of all Sierra Leoneans.
In January 2025, we partnered with the experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the United States Census Bureau to undertake an independent assessment of the country’s technical capacity and readiness to undertake the Census. I am glad to note that the recommendations of this assessment have informed the implementation of the census roadmap as well as the provision of international technical experts to support each phase of the census.
At the request of Statistics Sierra Leone, UNFPA is supporting national and international independent monitors to observe the pilot census exercise. These monitors play a crucial role by providing impartial scrutiny and validation of the entire process. Their findings, which will highlight any areas needing improvement, are essential for identifying and addressing technical and operational gaps. The independent oversight will also ensure transparency and build public trust, directly contributing to the refinement and success of the main census, and guaranteeing that the final count is accurate, reliable, and universally accepted for evidence-based national planning.
The Chief Minister, this endeavour is a collaborative success story. I speak today for the collective of international development partners who are investing technical and financial resources into this census process. Our commitment stems from the common understanding that reliable population data is an imperative for effective national development planning. It is the foundation for equitable resource allocation and critical for advancing progress towards the sustainable development goals.
We recognize the massive scale of this undertaking, and we stand unified in supporting the government's efforts to mobilize resources, ensure transparency, and secure the necessary trust from the public. This Pilot Census is a symbol of the partnership between the Government, the people, and development partners.
Alongside this vital Pilot Census, the United Nations is honoured to have supported the development of the “Power of Data” initiative; a national framework which will serve as a mechanism to coordinate, streamline, and increase financial and technical support for the national data system, as well as the use of data to revolutionize decision-making, accelerate digital transformation, and drive new economic opportunities. At the global level, this initiative is co-led by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, UNDP, UNFPA, UN DESA, UNICEF and the World Bank. The United Nations reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of this game-changing initiative.
We wish Statistics Sierra Leone and the dedicated field teams every success in this Pilot phase. We are confident that through technical excellence, collective partnership, and the sustained support of all stakeholders, this Pilot will pave the way for a successful, credible, and transformative National Census.
Thank you.
