The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute for Development (IfD), the organisation behind Sabi Salone, to improve public access to official government information and strengthen transparency and accountability in Sierra Leone.
The partnership aims to make national laws, government policies, development strategies, research reports and other important public documents more accessible to citizens, institutions, researchers and policymakers.
Through the agreement, both institutions will work together to promote the proactive disclosure of public information, strengthen information integrity and encourage informed public participation in national development.
A key component of the collaboration is Sabi Salone, an artificial intelligence-powered platform developed by the Institute for Development to provide easier access to reliable information about Sierra Leone.
The platform serves as a digital hub for national laws, official policies, development project reports, evaluations, government surveys and other research materials that may otherwise be difficult for the public to access.
By bringing these resources together, Sabi Salone seeks to help citizens, journalists, researchers, civil society organisations and policymakers find and use credible information to better understand government programmes, national policies and development initiatives.
The partnership will combine RAIC’s legal mandate to promote and protect the public’s right to information with the Institute for Development’s expertise in digital innovation, research and evidence-based policymaking.
Both institutions are expected to collaborate on improving access to official documents, encouraging government institutions to make information publicly available and strengthening citizens’ understanding of their right to access information.
The initiative also seeks to support evidence-based decision-making by making reliable information more readily available to individuals and organisations involved in research, advocacy and national development.
The agreement comes as access to accurate and trustworthy information remains important for strengthening democratic governance, promoting accountability and encouraging meaningful citizen participation in public affairs.
For journalists and civil society organisations, improved access to official documents could also support investigative reporting, public education and independent monitoring of government policies and development programmes.
The Institute for Development believes that making reliable information accessible is essential to building informed communities and strengthening accountable public institutions.
Through the partnership, RAIC and IfD hope to create more opportunities for Sierra Leoneans to access, understand and use public information in ways that contribute to transparency, good governance and sustainable development.
Members of the public can explore the Sabi Salone platform through the following link:
