Freetown, Thursday, June 25, 2026 – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) paid a courtesy visit to the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) at its office located at 60A Ring Road, off Spur Road, Spur Loop, Freetown, where the Agency’s delegation met with TİKA’s Director and Program Coordinator for Sierra Leone, Mirzet Muezzinoglu, to explore potential areas of partnership and collaboration and to follow up on previous engagements to strengthen the NDMA’s capacity to effectively manage disasters across the country.
The NDMA delegation was led by the Deputy Director General, Sulaiman B. Sowa, and included the Director of Communications, Mohamed L. Bah, and the Director of Partnerships, Soko Kai-Samba.
NDMA’s Director of Communications, Mohamed L. Bah, provided a brief background on the ongoing engagements between the NDMA, TİKA, and the Turkish Embassy in Sierra Leone, noting that the meeting was the culmination of a series of discussions aimed at exploring opportunities for collaboration and institutional support.
Mr. Bah emphasized that the NDMA relies heavily on partnerships and collaborations with development partners, government institutions, and international organizations to effectively discharge its mandate of coordinating disaster risk management across the country.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Muezzinoglu said he has been closely following the activities of the NDMA and is highly impressed by the Agency’s commitment to effectively executing its mandate. He also expressed sympathy to the victims affected by the recent windstorm incidents that displaced hundreds of people across the Eastern and Northern Regions of Sierra Leone. However, he clarified that TİKA’s mandate does not include direct humanitarian response to emergencies. He nevertheless reaffirmed TİKA’s commitment to support the NDMA in institutional capacity building and other interventions to strengthen disaster management and resilience in Sierra Leone.
He said: “Having carefully reviewed the NDMA’s proposal, we have identified key areas where TİKA can provide meaningful support. These include capacity building through specialized training programmes, the provision of office furniture and equipment, as well as transportation support for NDMA District Officers. We believe that a stronger and better equipped NDMA will enhance the country’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, and we look forward to deepening this partnership in the years ahead,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of the NDMA, John Vandy Rogers, Deputy Director General Sulaiman B. Sowa expressed profound appreciation to TİKA and the Government of Türkiye through the Turkish Embassy in Sierra Leone for their continued support to the country across various sectors.
He described the proposed support as timely and critical to enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Agency. “The NDMA is deeply grateful to TİKA and the Government of Türkiye for their longstanding friendship and support to Sierra Leone. The commitments discussed today come at a crucial time when the Agency is working tirelessly to strengthen disaster preparedness, response, and recovery mechanisms nationwide. This support will not only enhance our institutional capacity but will also improve our ability to protect lives, livelihoods, and communities vulnerable to disasters. We look forward to translating these discussions into concrete actions that will benefit the people of Sierra Leone,” DDG Sowa stated.
Also speaking during the engagement, the Director of Partnerships Soko Kai-Samba, stressed the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing the Agency’s mandate.
He noted that collaboration with development partners remains critical in building a robust and resilient disaster management system. “Disaster risk management is a shared responsibility that requires strong partnerships and sustained collaboration. We are encouraged by TİKA’s positive response and willingness to support the NDMA. This engagement is crucial for the Agency and it is the kind of institutional support needed to strengthen disaster management structures at both national and district levels. We are committed to working closely with TİKA to ensure that these interventions deliver meaningful and lasting impact,” Kai-Samba said.
The meeting concluded with an agreement for the NDMA to submit formal proposals covering the approved areas of support identified by TİKA, with the expectation that the proposed interventions will be considered for implementation within the current year. Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to maintain partnership to enhance the Agency’s capacity.
For More Enquiries:
Directorate of Communications
Toll-Free Line: 1199 (All Networks)
Email: mohamedlbah@ndma.gov.sl
Website: www.ndma.gov.sl
