NDMA Seals Deal With Russia’s EMERCOM to Enhance Operational Capabilities
Salamatu Y. Kamara On the margins of the International Conference on Strengthening Search and Rescue Services in the African Region, held in Mombasa, Kenya, from November 3 – 6, 2026, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM of Russia) on November 7, 2026.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the NDMA by its Director of Partnerships, Soko Kai-Samba, acting on the instructions and authority of the Director General, John Vandy Rogers. The Director was accompanied by Michael Lavahun, Senior Disaster Officer. The agreement establishes a framework for institutional partnership, technical cooperation, capacity development and knowledge exchange between the two institutions.
The partnership also covers several strategic areas, including Search and Rescue (SAR) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, firefighting, emergency medical response, water rescue, humanitarian assistance, technology transfer and research.
As part of the cooperation, EMERCOM of Russia pledged to provide the NDMA with a specialised drone weighing approximately 50 kilogrammes. The drone was delivered to the Sierra Leone Embassy in Kenya on Monday, November 10, 2026, for onward delivery to the Agency in Freetown. The donation drone will significantly enhance the Agency’s operational capabilities.
The agreement will also create opportunities for NDMA personnel and other relevant emergency management institutions to benefit from scholarships, fellowships and specialised professional training, thereby strengthening their emergency management capabilities.
The cooperation will further focus on training opportunities in satellite technology, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and drone technology to enhance the Agency’s capacity to monitor emerging threats, assess disaster impacts and provide timely information for effective emergency response.
The agreement will also support efforts to strengthen the NDMA’s emergency coordination mechanisms, incident management systems and humanitarian response capabilities.
The signing of the MoU followed high level engagement and facilitation by Director Kai-Samba and signifies the NDMA’s commitment to build a more equipped and operationally effective institution.
Commenting on the significance of the MoU, the Director General of the NDMA, John Vandy Rogers, stated: “We are committed to leveraging international expertise, technology and specialised professional training to strengthen the NDMA’s institutional and operational capabilities. This strategic partnership is an important step towards building a more resilient and responsive disaster management system, enhancing our ability to anticipate disaster risks, coordinate timely and effective interventions, and protect lives, livelihoods and property across Sierra Leone,” he stated.