The United States-Sierra Leone State Partnership Program (SPP) has advanced with recent military cooperation activities. From April 11-18, three separate engagements were held at various Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) facilities in the capital region. This collaboration focused on professional military education, vehicle operations and fleet management, disaster response planning, and interagency cooperation.
These events supported priorities set by Sierra Leone's senior military leaders in 2024. After the formal signing in September, Michigan National Guard (MING) teams visited Freetown in November 2024 to establish programs in military education, vehicle operations, military justice, and the rule of law.
General Scott House of the Michigan National Guard expressed satisfaction with the progress: “We are moving forward to deepen ties with our partners in the RSLAF and to support lines of effort that make both our organizations stronger, more fluent, and more prepared to conduct our respective missions,” House stated. Despite being less than a year into this partnership, six events have already been held in Sierra Leone.
Plans are being made for RSLAF members to observe the Northern Strike exercise in Michigan this August. The Northern Strike exercise is one of the Department of Defense's largest reserve component exercises, hosted annually in Northern Michigan. This year, around 7,000 participants from nearly every U.S. armed forces component and branch are expected.
Brigadier General Sahr David Ngaujah, RSLAF Chief of General Staff, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “We appreciate this partnership with the Michigan National Guard and look forward to developing the full benefit of our cooperation,” Ngaujah said. “There are more good things to come as our relationship grows.”
The State Partnership Program, initiated in 1993 with 13 partners, links a U.S. state's National Guard with a foreign nation's armed forces for beneficial security cooperation. It has now grown to include 105 partnerships with 115 nations.
For further information, contact U.S. Embassy Media Coordinator Alhassan Jalloh at jalloha@state.gov.