Sierra Leone

Japanese Ambassador launches new Arms for Development (AFD) Programme in Sierra Leone

14-06-2006

Ambassador Keitaro Sato, in charge of peace building in Africa and Senior Advisor to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Victor Angelo, Resident Representative UNDP Sierra Leone and UN Country Coordinator, at a mammoth gathering in Tongolili district, launched a Japanese sponsored UNDP project

‘Arms for Development’ in Sierra Leone. The programme aims at targeting the control of arms proliferation in the country especially in the border areas, the implementation of development projects in communities that have been certified as arms free, to embark on sustainable community empowerment programmes, such as providing them with power tillers to promote agriculture. The cost of the project is US$ 2,000,000. Launching the programme in the Tonkolili district, northern Sierra Leone, on 14 June 2006, Ambassador Sato described it as, “a programme geared towards bringing development to Sierra Leone by enhancing the collection of arms in exchange for development.” He assured that Japan would continue to support Sierra Leone in its post-war development recovery programmes, while informing that the fund for the programme was provided by the people of his country.

Earlier, the Resident Representative UNDP disclosed that the programme was a collaborative effort of the government of Sierra Leone and UNDP, for which he expressed hope that the government and people of Sierra Leone would cooperate to derive full benefit from. Responding, Paramount Chief of Yoni Chiefdom, Shebora Kondor II, commended the delegation for launching the programme in his community, and pledged that his community will fully cooperate with UNDP to implement it. Ambassador Sato and his delegation also visited the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood School in Mile 91; and Gbinleh Dixon, Kambia, where Japanese funds have assisted the community with power tillers for agriculture and food security. For the past two years, Japan has been collaborating with UNDP in Sierra Leone in its effort to target projects that prevent the proliferation of arms in the country.