President Julius Madda Bio has officially launched Sierra Leone’s National Security Policy and Strategy on August 8, 2024.

This comprehensive plan serves as a guide for implementing the nation’s security policy and strategy, addressing strategic-level concerns and detailing the government’s plans to tackle them.

In his keynote speech, the President emphasized the importance of the NSSP in coordinating activities among different national security actors. He highlighted the roles of each actor in meeting national security needs, decision-making processes in crises, and conditions for utilizing security forces.

“This document provides for across-the-board structure and a coordinated, holistic, and inclusive approach to keeping Sierra Leone safe for every citizen. The roll-out of this all-encompassing national strategy and policy is therefore critical and central for addressing our country’s security needs.

“Our country will thrive only when it is peaceful, secure, and stable. It is the obligation of every citizen to keep his or her community and the nation as a whole peaceful. Indeed, the security of our beloved country is our collective responsibility.” Bio said.

Additionally, the NSSP will outline cooperation mechanisms between security actors, reasons for involvement in peace operations, and justifications for interventions in other countries’ security affairs.

This policy will shape Sierra Leone’s national security framework and provide a basis for threat assessments. The President affirmed that good governance is crucial for national security, as disorder poses the greatest threat.

He underscored that national security is a shared responsibility and a vital aspect of stability and prosperity for the nation. It is a top priority that must never be sacrificed for the country’s development.