Freetown, Wednesday 19 December 2012, The Executive Representative of the Secretary General (ERSG), in Sierra Leone Mr. Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen recently congratulated the Civil Society Platform in Sierra Leone on their role in ensuring peaceful and non-violent elections, before during and after 2012, elections which also demonstrated their commitment to consolidate development and democracy.

In his meeting with the representatives of the Civil Society Organisations, the ERSG observe that state and statutory bodies that played a role in the just concluded elections of November have recieve commendations from local and international actors, and he was of the view that Civil Society Organisations should not be left out for the good work they did. In recognition of this role the ERSG awarded certificates of merits to the heads of the various CSO thematic groups.

The ERSG emphasized the importance of the Civil Society in Sierra Leone and urged them to continue their good work in promoting peace and unity.

The Acting Chairman of the Civil Society platform Falla Ensah-N'Dayma thanked the ERSG, the UN family and colleagues for a job well done, and assured the ERSG of their continuous zeal to work together to move Sierra Leone forward.

UNIPSIL has supported the Civil Society Platform cluster approach which has reinforced the capability of CSOs in promoting effective partnership, accountability, good leadership, and coordination. This approach is contributing immensely to the promotion of synergies; joint programming; information sharing; knowledge sharing, and integrated thematic response.

This initiative has resulted in an institutionalised monthly engagement between the ERSG and CSOs which has also improved information sharing and enhanced accountability mechanism.

The civil society platform benefited from the UN Peace building Fund.