FREETOWN, REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE – 10th – 11 July, 2026
From the 10 – 11 July, 2026,
Sierra Leone hosted the 3rd Ordinary Session of the Technical Meeting on Peace, Security and Defense at the Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.
Delegates from the Republics of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea & Cote d’Voire attended the two-day event. The theme of the meeting is: “Harmonising Defense Frameworks for Regional Stability” with the overall objective being the gathering of information from member states & the MRU Secretariat on their respective assessments of the Security situation in the sub-region, analyze & discuss them with the aim of proposing strategies backed by action plans that will enhance cross-border cooperation within the MRU sub-region (as a follow up to the May 2021 meeting held in Monrovia) & the Tripartite meeting of March 16, 2026 held in Conakry, the Republic of Guinea.
The MRU Member States also discussed pressing cross-border security challenges, strengthen sub-regional stability, & enhance collaborative peace, security & defense mechanisms among Member States. Building on frameworks established in previous seasons, the meeting focused on operationalizing joint border patrols, combating transnational organized crimes, & neutralizing emerging threats to sub-regional cohesion.
The delegates deliberated on peace, security, defense & collection, analyzed the systemic & structural gaps in addressing real-time responses as well as the need to be more practical & sincere in addressing border infractions & threats.
The delegates further discussed & came up with the following recommendations:
- promote joint investment in border management infrastructure.
- develop joint threat assessment systems & strengthen early warning & response systems.
- promote youth & women leadership in key decision-making positions in border management systems.
- develop strategies to address grievances between security sector operators & people moving along the border, especially women.
- Member States to allocate resources & mobilize external support to address priorities identified in the Action Plan & border related programs.
- establish a joint fusion center within the MRU Headquarters.
- Member States to formalize nominations to the standing committees [Joint Security Committee [JSC] & Technical Committee [TC]] to ensure institutional knowledge & continuity &
- the MRU Secretariat to encourage Member States to honour their financial contributions & ensure the holding of regular statutory meetings to urgently address all border infractions within the MRU.
The Directors of Provincial & Border Security & Strategic Communications, Mohammed B. Bangura & Abdul Karim Will respectively, represented the NS Coord at the 3rd Ordinary Session of the MRU Technical Meeting.
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www.ons.gov.sl