The IDPS co-chairs
The two co-chairs work to represent fragile states and development partners, providing strategic direction and leadership for the Dialogue.
H.E Kenyeh Barlay
Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone, co-Chair of the International Dialogue, and Chair of the g7+ group of fragile states.
Minister Kenyeh Barlay holds an MSc (Econs) in Social Planning from University College, Swansea, South Wales and a BA(Hons) Social Studies from Hull University, UK. She is a consummate development planner with over 35 years of experience in the area of planning and economic development, working with both Governmental and International organisations.
Minister Barlay’s most recent assignment was as a member of the Executive Board of the African Development Bank (AfDB). As Executive Director on the AfDB Board, she represented the countries of The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Her responsibilities on this board were to provide oversight and strategic direction to the Bank Group, as well as over the period of her tenure chairing two board committees, namely: the Committee on Administrative Affairs and Human Resource Policy (CAHR) and Board Committee on External Communications and Annual Meetings (ECAM).
Minister Barlay commenced her career in 1984 at the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning (MODEP). In 1997, Minister Barlay became the Director of the African Development Bank Funded, Social Action and Poverty Alleviation (SAPA), which she had designed 5 years prior, whilst at MODEP and was subsequently transferred to the then the National Commission for Resettlement, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (NCRRR). The SAPA Programme under Minister Barlay’s leadership was one of the most successful, post-conflict reconstruction initiatives of the Government of Sierra Leone.
The programme tackled the issue of poverty through the rehabilitation and reconstruction of social and economic infrastructure (including schools, health Centres and markets), access to finance and skills training interventions focused on women’s economic empowerment.
Minister Barlay at the forefront of the microfinance movement in Sierra Leone, became the Director of the NaCSA Microfinance Programme after she successfully transitioned the SAPA programme into a National Microfinance Programme. From 2007-2011 she continued in the field of microfinance policy development and implementation as the UNCDF Country Technical Adviser to the Launch of an Inclusive Financial Sector project, in Liberia.
From 2013 -2016, Minister Barlay coordinated the World Bank and JICA-funded West African Agricultural Productivity Programme(WAAPP) for the Mano River Union Sub-region. The programme objective being to contribute to rice productivity increase in the MRU countries through the generation and accelerated adoption of improved technologies, and regional rice market integration.
Throughout her career, Minister Barlay has also carried out national and international consultancy assignments in the areas of poverty alleviation, access to finance, women’s economic empowerment and gender equality, land rights, agriculture, and strategic planning, human capacity development planning amongst others.