By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security, has issued out a press release on the 5th July 2022, containing information about the Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sierra Leone and Camões Institute for Cooperation and the Language of Portugal for the implementation of the ECOWAS programme SWAIM, supported by the European Union.
The MoU was signed on Tuesday 5th July 2022 during the ceremony which took place at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Freetown and the headquarters of Camões Institute in Lisbon were actively part of the ceremony through a videoconference that was set up for them.
The MoU was signed by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai and the President of Camões Institute Ambassador João Ribeiro de Almeida.
This program was funded by the European Union with 28 Million EUR and it aims at improving maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
For the past four years, ECOWAS has been working to strengthen the maritime security of its member states, with the support of this EU-funded SWAIMS programme, the largest initiative on maritime security in the ECOWAS region is secured.
Furthermore, SWAIMS also provides material support to the 12 ECOWAS coastal member states, as well as training and legal strengthening to all 15 ECOWAS member states, including the three landlocked countries, plus Mauritania.
The MoU that has been signed is related to a key component of the SWAIMS programme, which is aimed at strengthening the operational response capacities of law enforcement bodies and management of the Rule of Law at sea in the 12 ECOWAS coastal countries, including Sierra Leone.
Camões Institute of Portugal is managing and implementing this component of the programme, which is co-funded by the European Union with 10 Million EUR and Portuguese Cooperation with 2 Million EUR.
Moreover, under this SWAIMS programme component, the capacity and capabilities of Sierra Leone’s Navy to carry out patrolling and evidence collection at sea will be strengthened through the supply of specialized boats and training of personnel.
Sierra Leone will be receiving three semi-rigid vessels and forensic equipment to support the deployment of crews, garrisons and shore teams, trained and ready for interventions at sea, with the capacity to conduct inspections and collect evidence effectively and safely.
This also sets out the partners’ responsibilities for the delivery and use of the equipment, as well as for the training of trainers and garrisons.
The Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union in Sierra Leone, Mr. Juan Antonio Frutos emphasized on the European Union remaining committed to supporting Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS countries to strengthen law enforcement capacities in order to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
