Ministry of Defence and National Security (Sierra Leone)

Sierra Leone Ministry of Defence and National Security is a Sierra Leonean government department in charge of implementing and supervising  the Sierra Leone Amed Forces and the territorial security of Sierra Leone's international border and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone.

Location
The Ministry of Defence and National Security building is located in State Avenue at Tower Hill in central Freetown, a few distance from the State House.

Minister of Defence
The department is headed by the Minister of Defence and National Security, who must be a civilian, and is appointed by the President of Sierra Leone and must be confirmed by the Parliament of Sierra Leone in order to take office.

The current Minister of Defence and National Security is a retired Major Alfred Paolo Conteh, who was appointed by president Ernest Bai Koroma in October 2007. The Sierra Leone minister of Defence is one of the most important, government agencies in the country and the position is usually held by a retired Sierra Leone military officer.

Like all government ministries in the country, the Minister of Defence can be dismissed by the president of Sierra Leone at any time. During the Sierra Leone civil war, Sierra Leone's president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah appointed himself minister of Defence and National Security, which is legal.

Mission
Mission Statement The mission of the Ministry is to formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate strategic defence policy for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) that is effective and fostered within a framework of democratic governance.

Objectives
To formulate and implement strategic defence policy; To develop and maintain a re-structured and robust RSLAF that is well trained, well disciplined and well cared for; To equip and provide logistics support to the RSLAF; To transform the RSLAF into an organization that is accountable, incorruptible and subject to democratic control; To continually evolve and improve the RSLAF; To deliver the endorsed Defence Missions and Military Tasks.