By Alieu Amara Suwu
Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday, 10th February 2026, unanimously ratified a long-term partnership agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and Rainforest Builders SL Limited, aimed at restoring degraded forests, generating carbon credits, and boosting livelihoods in rural communities across the country.
Presenting the motion, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jiwoh Emmanuel Abdulai informed Honourable Members that the agreement, dated 24th September 2025 and laid before Parliament on 27th January 2026, represents a major step in Sierra Leone’s climate action agenda.
The minister described climate change as one of the most profound challenges facing the nation, stressing that forests are not merely natural resources but “nature’s technology for climate action”.
“Forests nurture our watersheds, protect biodiversity, sustain livelihoods, and shield our coasts and mangroves from rising seas. Every tree lost diminishes our resilience and undermines our shared future,” Minister Abdulai told Parliament.
He recalled that last year the Vice President launched an ambitious national initiative to protect 30 percent of Sierra Leone’s land and marine ecosystems and restore 30 percent of degraded forests and mangroves by 2030, with local communities positioned as equal partners in conservation and development. According to the minister, the Rainforest Builders agreement follows an established government template designed to balance environmental restoration with economic development. The project will focus on reforestation and assisted natural regeneration across multiple chiefdoms while generating high-integrity carbon credits for sale on international markets.
Key benefits outlined include: Restoration of degraded forests and mangroves, Enhanced biodiversity protection and ecosystem resilience, Job creation in rural communities, Direct income for land-owning families and skills development, particularly in climate-smart agriculture
Minister Abdulai assured Parliament that communities have already been engaged for the pilot phase and will remain central stakeholders throughout implementation. He added that government oversight will include monitoring environmental impact, forest regeneration, local economic benefits, and the volume of climate finance entering the country.
Seconding the motion, Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Yusif Mackery, noted that Sierra Leone remains highly vulnerable to climate change due to human activities such as deforestation and unsustainable land use.
He disclosed that the project involves an estimated US$29 million investment, targeting various forest types including closed canopy rainforests, secondary forests, and woodland forests, with a projected restoration rate of 1,000 hectares per year. Hon. Mackery added that the project is expected to employ not less than 1,000 people, the majority of whom will be women.
Contributing to the debate, Acting Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, expressed support for the agreement but raised concerns over local content and fair wages for Sierra Leonean workers.
“The people most affected by these projects must be the first beneficiaries. Local workers should be prioritised and fairly paid,” Hon. Koroma said, calling on the Ministry of Labour and the Parliamentary Committee on Labour to ensure compliance.
He further urged the government to ensure that local contractors and businesses benefit from project-related contracts, noting that sustainable development should be measured by how many lives are transformed within five to seven years of investment.
Hon. Koroma also cautioned against overlooking community forests and conserved areas in the allocation of carbon credits, stressing that communities protecting forests should receive a fair share of carbon revenues.
Despite the concerns raised, the opposition reaffirmed its support for the agreement, describing climate change as a non-partisan threat.
“Climate change does not choose between APC or SLPP. It affects every Sierra Leonean,” he said.
Following extensive debate, Parliament ratified the agreement, with Members describing it as a timely and concrete step toward environmental protection, climate resilience, and sustainable economic development.
“Protecting our forests is not optional; it is our responsibility to our people, our children, and future generations,” Minister Abdulai concluded.
