By Sulaiman T Jalloh
In a well-attended ceremony held between 5-7th December,2023 at Radisson Blu Hotel in Aberdeen in the West End of Freetown, the SierraLeone National Commission on Arms and Ammunitions in collaboration with the Small Arms Survey- an associated program of Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies conducted a three-days Workshop to draft a programme of work to support national efforts of SierraLeonean authorities to comprehensively and systematically assess the capability, maturity, preparedness and response to counter Improvised Explosive Devices(IED).
The workshop brings together international partners to help the sub-region and member states to understand what is counter improvised explosive device-an initiative of the ECOWAS, and how nations can prevent the current threats as this is not only meant for Security forces but for all SierraLeoneans.
While addressing all those present to grace the occasion, Binneh K. Conteh, Commissioner at Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition(SLeCAA) said this is the first-ever assessment workshop be conducted in SierraLeone by the Commission that was assisted by the Small Arms Survey both technically and financially.
He gave a brief explanation about what improvised Explosive Device (IED) is, which is a bomb construction deployed in ways other than in conventional military action, stating how this device was used during Iraq war between 2003-2011 and was responsible for approximately 63% of coalition death in Iraq.
That explosive device was also used in Afghanistan by insurgent groups, and caused 66% of coalition casualties in the 2001-2021 Afghanistan war, he added.
Moreover, he said, the transition of SierraLeone Commission on Arms and Ammunition has expanded its mandate to control and regulate all categories of Conventional arms under the mandate of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) other than just Small Arms and light weapons(SALW).
“The Commission is taking the lead to bring together nation players that have a role to play on IED to get the required knowledge and skills, and to develop a national approach and structured framework to address the modern security threat”, the Commissioner said, further by assuring that the commission will continue to actively engage in a wide range of discussions with organizations, regulators, policymakers, civil society organisations, private organizations and businesses in their collective fight to prevent or reduce the risks that stem from the use of IEDs in our Territory and all forms of illicit small arms and ammunition.
Elizabeth Turay, a representative from the Ministry of internal Affairs expressed her gratitude for witness this all-important workshop that is security sensitive.
Currently, she said, the Security threats in the West African regions has becoming widespread to inflict terror on human lives and destruction of property.
He continued by stating how the proliferation of this explosive devices are used by criminals and assailants to cause mayhem or commit heinous crimes, citing reference to the crimes that committed in the Sahel Countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and lately in Ghana and Guinea.
According to her, the lack of knowledge of this device has been the reason for this workshop with the main aim of providing a national approach to study the intensity of proliferation, nature and danger associated with IED use.
Meanwhile, the workshop has created the opportunity for knowledge sharing on how to counter IED and also created the platform to build a strong collaboration and coordination for peace, security and development which will help to establish a comprehensive baseline on the specification and nature of IED use in a country.
