UNCT and OCHA Strengthen Capacity of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Actors in Sierra Leone.

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office in Dakar supported the training of disaster management and humanitarian actors in Sierra Leone.

During a weeklong workshop from 4 to 8 July 2022 in Freetown, the training aimed to provide knowledge and tools to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to cascade Emergency Preparedness and Response training at the sub-national level, targeting the governmental and non-governmental humanitarian actors on the ground, including those in the districts.

Speaking during the opening session, the United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC) in Sierra Leone, Mr. Babatunde Ahonsi noted the importance of the training, which he said, “provides advanced skills and tools in Emergency Preparedness and Response, including Multi-Indicator Rapid Assessment (MIRA), coordination mechanisms, information management, humanitarian funding, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), PSEA, gender and protection, disability inclusion, early warning and DRR, the link between humanitarian action and development, and awareness on civil and military coordination”.

According to the RC, in February 2022, the UNCT tasked the UN Inter-Agency Emergency Preparedness and Response group to consult with NDMA on their additional need for support from the UN and it was agreed to conduct comprehensive training on disaster management and coordination addressed to all humanitarian stakeholders in the country. He was pleased to see, therefore, the presence of national humanitarian actors for a full five-day residential training.

In his statement, the Deputy Director-General of NDMA, Mr. John Vandi Rogers explained the establishment of NDMA, whilst commending the UN Sierra Leone for its tremendous support towards disaster management in the country.

“Since the establishment of the NDMA in 2020, the positive impact of the Agency has been felt nationwide through its various mandated activities via Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Relief and Response and Communications”, said Mr. Rogers.  “On behalf of the Government, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the UN Country Team and officials from OCHA who are here to deliver the training. This is the first time we are having a national training of this type characterized across the length and breadth of the country” Mr. Rogers added.

Meanwhile, the training attracted more than 40 participants from government institutions and local and international non-governmental organizations. Isatu Sesay, who represented Handicap International said that the knowledge gained in the training will be integrated into their disaster management programming to further strengthen the capacity of local community stakeholders in disaster response.

The training ended with a simulation exercise carried out at Lakka Coastal Community to evaluate the real-time preparedness and readiness of humanitarian actors to deliver and support response efforts in case of an emergency.