By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara
A senior official of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has successfully completed an international training programme aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness, emergency response, and disaster risk reduction.
Maude Nabie Turay, Principal Officer in the Directorate of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the NDMA, participated in the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) on Strategic Disaster Management and Response for Middle Managers, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from June 21 to 27, 2026.
The week-long programme brought together disaster management professionals from several countries to enhance their knowledge and practical skills in disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response coordination, and resilience building through international cooperation and knowledge exchange.
According to the NDMA, the training commenced with an educational tour of key heritage and historical sites in Kuala Lumpur, providing participants with insights into Malaysia’s development journey and cultural heritage.
The official opening session was led by the Director General of Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), followed by technical orientation sessions facilitated by the Malaysian Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management. Participants received detailed presentations on Malaysia’s disaster governance framework, including the Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030, the Incident Command System, and the country’s emergency coordination mechanisms.
The programme also featured expert-led panel discussions on disaster monitoring and forecasting, emergency leadership, community-based disaster risk management, resilient urban planning, and multi-agency collaboration under Malaysia’s Rakan NADMA initiative.
As part of the practical component of the training, participants visited several key disaster management facilities, including the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) base, the National Disaster Command Centre, and the headquarters of Malaysia’s disaster management authority.
The delegation also toured the SMART Tunnel Control Centre, an internationally recognised flood mitigation and traffic management system, as well as the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot, where they gained firsthand experience of emergency logistics and humanitarian response operations.
Speaking after completing the programme, Maude Nabie Turay described the training as highly beneficial, noting that it provided practical knowledge and valuable lessons that could help strengthen disaster management operations in Sierra Leone.
She said Malaysia’s integrated approach to disaster preparedness, coordinated emergency response, and community resilience offers useful models that could be adapted to enhance the effectiveness of the NDMA’s operations.
The NDMA stated that the training forms part of its continued commitment to building the capacity of its staff through international partnerships and technical cooperation programmes aimed at improving disaster preparedness, response coordination, and resilience across Sierra Leone.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 29th June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
