Post a comment 
Sierra Leone’s disaster management capacity is set to receive a boost as two senior National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) officials participate in a two-week emergency management training programme in China.
Mohamed L. Bah, Director of Communications, and Sinneh Mansaray, Director of Relief and Response, are representing Sierra Leone at the Seminar on Work Safety and Emergency Management Capacity Building for English-Speaking African Countries in Beijing.
According to the NDMA, the seminar began Tuesday and is scheduled to run through August 30. It is being hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Emergency Management.
The training brings together disaster management officials from several African countries and focuses on practical approaches to workplace safety and emergency management.
Participants are expected to examine industrial safety procedures, early warning systems, risk assessment and post-disaster coordination. The programme also includes technical visits to Chinese emergency response hubs and industrial safety demonstration zones.
Bah was selected to speak on behalf of the participants during the opening ceremony, where he highlighted the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness across Africa.
“This training comes at a crucial time for the continent at large. As we face increasing threats from floods, mudslides and industrial accidents, the practical strategies and expertise gained here will directly strengthen our national mitigation and response systems,” Bah said.
He added: “We are not here merely as participants; we are here as partners. The knowledge and partnerships we build in China will be translated into concrete actions that protect lives and livelihoods when we return home.”
The NDMA said the participation of the two directors is expected to strengthen the agency’s capabilities in early warning communication, emergency coordination and community-based disaster risk reduction.
NDMA Director General John Vandy Rogers welcomed the opportunity for the officials to receive specialized training in China, describing it as an investment in the agency’s human resources.
“This training is a strategic investment in our Agency’s human capital. The exposure our Directors are gaining in China will directly benefit our operations, particularly in enhancing our early warning communication and relief coordination. I am confident that upon their return, we will see tangible improvements in how we prepare for and respond to emergencies across the country,” Rogers said.
The training forms part of broader cooperation between Sierra Leone and China in emergency management and institutional capacity building under South-South cooperation.
The NDMA has also pursued technical partnerships with other international institutions to strengthen disaster preparedness and response, including collaboration with Japan’s JICA on institutional capacity development, technical assistance and knowledge exchange.
In June, Rogers highlighted the importance of translating early warnings into concrete action during a regional disaster management meeting in Abidjan.
The NDMA expects the knowledge and professional networks gained through the training in China to contribute to stronger emergency preparedness and response systems when the two officials return to Sierra Leone.
