On November 13, 2025, a high-level delegation from the British High Commission, led by Deputy High Commissioner Kathleen Reid, paid courtesy visits to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen cooperative dialogue and explore opportunities for increased UK support to ensure the Depot’s full operational status and as a strategic regional asset.
The British delegation consisted of Kezia Exley, Deputy Sahel Envoy; Hamish Tye, UK Political Envoy to ECOWAS; Christopher Howells, Political Secretary; and Amalara Jalloh, Political Officer at the British High Commission. During discussions with MoPED and ECOWAS national office officials, the delegation concentrated on identifying intervention areas and addressing capacity gaps, such as training programs, technical assistance, and logistical requirements to fully operationalise the facility.
Madam Kenyeh Barlay, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, welcomed the delegation and expressed gratitude for the United Kingdom’s ongoing support for Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS region. She described the engagement as particularly timely, given Sierra Leone’s current ECOWAS chairmanship and the country’s plans to host several major ECOWAS events, including the 2026 ECOWAS summit. Madam Barlay emphasised President Julius Maada Bio’s strategic priorities, such as economic integration, constitutional order restoration, democratic governance deepening, and regional security strengthening, and stated that the President’s interactions with other regional leaders reflect a strong commitment to West African stability and solidarity.
Madam Barlay also discussed the Depot’s achievements and outstanding challenges as it approaches full operationalisation. She cited pressing needs in staffing, furnishing, and other logistical areas that must be addressed immediately if the facility is to reach its full capacity and functionality. Her comments emphasised the importance of both physical infrastructure and human resource development in transforming the Depot into a dependable regional hub for logistics and peacekeeping operations.
Mr Komba Momoh, Deputy Development Secretary III and Head of the ECOWAS National Office at MoPED, expanded on these operational priorities. He emphasised the importance of building national staff capacity, improving coordination mechanisms, and sharing technical expertise in ensuring the Depot’s full operational capability. Mr Momoh stated that ECOWAS is currently stepping up efforts to recruit civilians into peace support operations, particularly for administrative positions, and requested assistance in furnishing and equipping the facility to meet these emerging needs.
The British delegation provided examples of their assistance to other ECOWAS member states, such as capacity development initiatives, communication system strengthening, technical assistance for peacekeeping operations, and diplomatic information training delivered via tailored Terms of Reference and Memoranda of Understanding. Delegation members praised the scale and quality of progress at the Lungi Depot, commending the Sierra Leonean government and its partners for infrastructure improvements that position the site as a potentially critical regional resource.
Dr Robert Moikowa, Technical Adviser at the ECOWAS National Office, provided additional insights into the regional context. He stated that ECOWAS is increasing its focus on conflict resolution and resilience building, to transform fragile contexts into sustainable peace through inclusive democracy, deeper economic integration, and secure communities—objectives to which a functional logistics depot could contribute significantly.
The engagement concluded with a guided tour of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, led by Minister Barlay and ECOWAS Resident Representative Mr John Azumah. The delegation was guided through key components of the site to assess facilities and identify areas where targeted interventions would be most effective. The Training Centre was among the facilities inspected.
The visit reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting sustainable security, good governance, and capacity-building across the ECOWAS region, and set the stage for follow-up engagements to translate the discussions into concrete support measures for the Depot and broader regional stabilisation.
