The shadow report highlights Sierra Leone’s partial progress in implementing the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) 2022–2030, while exposing persistent policy gaps that undermine national efforts. The establishment of the Alcohol Control Technical Working Group (ACTWG) and the adoption of the National Alcohol Policy (NAP) in 2022 mark important milestones. However, implementation remains weak due to inadequate funding, limited institutional capacity, and fragmented, outdated alcohol legislation that fails to meet global standards. Enforcement is minimal, allowing industry influence, widespread harmful drinking patterns, and proliferation of informally produced alcohol to continue unchecked.
Key recommendations include strengthening the ACTWG with resources and training, developing a costed implementation and M&E framework for the NAP, and drafting a modern, comprehensive alcohol control law aligned with GAAP. The report highlights the urgent need for improved taxation, systematic data collection, and stronger enforcement mechanisms—especially on marketing, informal production, and youth exposure.
Civil society, particularly SLAPA and FoRUT, aims to accelerate progress through coordinated advocacy for increased government financing, monitoring of industry interference, support for legislative reform, raising public awareness, and championing community‑level monitoring structures. Strengthened CSO engagement, supported by regional networks such as WAAPA, is essential to ensure Sierra Leone meets its 2030 alcohol harm reduction commitments.
Recommended citation:
Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance. (2026). A Civil Society Organization (CSO) Alternative report on Sierra Leone’s implementation of the “Framework for Implementing the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030 in the WHO African Region.” Freetown, Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance.