Sierra Leone

Sulima Chiefdom Declared Arms Free

Press Release 26-10-2006

Koinadugu, Sierra Leone -- Sulima Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District, which lies on the Guinean border of Sierra Leone, is now arms free and will soon receive the certificate and project grant in recognition of this. The Arms Free Certification Ceremony will take place in the chiefdom headquarters of Falaba on 26 October 2006. The keynote speaker for the occasion is the UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Victor Angelo, who will attend with members of the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) and the Guinean neighbouring community. The participation of the Guineans will to promote cross-border cooperation against arms trafficking and other related cross border issues.

Also related cross border cooperation, UNDP has secured funding for the construction of an integrated Class A border post, including staff quarters, for Sierra Leone Police (SLP), and the Department of Immigration and Customs at Koindukura village in Sulima Chiefdom. The project will start by the end of 2006.

The Arms for Development (AfD) project is a joint initiative of the GoSL and the UNDP, designed to promote the conditions for lasting peace and security through the creation of opportunities, for the voluntary surrender of weapons in exchange for development.

This initiative focuses on three main objectives:

1. Community arms collection;

2. Supporting initiatives to stem out illicit cross border trade in arms; and

3. The facilitation, revision and implementation of new firearms legislation.

AfD is also a capacity building and community empowerment initiative targeting grassroots communities. It seeks to promote a mindset that security is a necessary pre-requisite for development. The project believes underlying issues of conflict that remain are a serious impediment to social cohesion. By fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging people to work together towards a common goal, while reflecting on the needs of the community as a whole; taking decisions on issues affecting their security and development through democratic consensus.

The process of disarmament is community-led and at its final stage the SLP issues an Arms Free Certificate after a verification exercise, while the UNDP provides a grant of approximately Le40 million for a community project of the people’s choice, as a reward for successfully retrieving all arms in the chiefdom.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Mohamed Kamara, Project Co-ordinator AfD, United Nations Development Programme, telephone +232-76-687532; email: mohamed.kamara@undp.org

Ms. Emma Vincent, Information Officer, United Nations Development Programme, telephone +232-76-631108; email: emma.vincent@undp.org