A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Sierra Leone and Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language of Portugal for the implementation of the ‘Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security’ (SWAIMS) programme was signed on Tuesday at a ceremony at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Freetown and by videoconference with the headquarters of Camões Institute in Lisbon.
The MoU was signed by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai and President of Camões Institute Ambassador João Ribeiro de Almeida.
The SWAIMS programme of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is funded by the European Union with 28 million EUR and is aimed at improving maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Under the component of SWAIMS programme, 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 receive 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. The MoU sets out the partners’ responsibilities for the delivery and use of the equipment, as well as for the training of trainers and garrisons.
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. SWAIMS 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 is signed today 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, in a timely manner, in order to effectively curb unlawful maritime activities, through delivery of equipment and training activities. 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.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union in Sierra Leone Mr. Juan Antonio Frutos emphasized that, the European Union remains committed to supporting Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS countries to strengthen law enforcement capacities to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
By Sallieu S. Kanu