By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone: The National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Centre (NEWRMC) has hosted a joint delegation from the Mano River Union (MRU) Secretariat and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to explore new avenues of collaboration aimed at tackling fragility, enhancing resilience, and promoting peace across the Mano River sub-region.
The meeting, held on Thursday, July 2, at the NEWRMC Situation Room in Freetown, formed part of an appraisal mission to develop a sub-regional framework for conflict prevention and resilience.
Strengthening Early Warning Systems
Welcoming the delegation, NEWRMC Lead Analyst, retired Col. Musa Fuad Kanneh, outlined the Centre’s mandate and emphasized its role in monitoring and responding to emerging security threats through early warning mechanisms.
MRU Deputy Secretary General Ange Konan-Monu described the visit as an appraisal mission to support the establishment of a Sub-Regional Observatory on Fragility and Resilience. She explained that the observatory would strengthen data collection, improve early warning systems, and promote socio-economic resilience among MRU member states.
“The objective of this visit is to formally brief your institution on the mission’s objectives, share perspectives on the architecture of the proposed observatory and benefit from your invaluable guidance on how this mechanism can best serve the sub-region’s long-term peace and development agenda,” Konan-Monu said.
AfDB’s Commitment to Regional Stability
AfDB Fragility Officer Alex Yeanay stressed that the Bank intends to build on existing institutions such as NEWRMC rather than create parallel structures. He highlighted the importance of leveraging established mechanisms to maximize efficiency and strengthen regional cooperation.
Yeanay noted that the AfDB and MRU have been jointly assessing fragility and resilience across the region to better understand multidimensional risks. The findings, he said, would guide the Bank’s country strategies and sub-regional investment programmes while promoting greater coordination among development partners. He reaffirmed AfDB’s commitment to supporting peacebuilding and human security initiatives within ECOWAS, particularly in the Mano River sub-region.
Executive Director Francess A.M. Nyuma welcomed the initiative, commending MRU and AfDB for engaging NEWRMC during the consultative stage. She disclosed that the Centre is developing a concept to bring together analysts from across the Mano River sub-region to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and strengthen collective responses to threats to peace and human security.
The meeting concluded with a pledge by NEWRMC, MRU, and AfDB to deepen collaboration in conflict prevention, resilience building, and regional stability. This will be achieved through improved early warning systems, enhanced information sharing, and coordinated action to address common security challenges across the Mano River Union states.