Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and the COVID-19 response: A growing domestic focus for the army

During the COVID-19 pandemic the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has been heavily involved in the country’s response efforts and taken on a large number of roles. This article explores how the army became the “go-to” organization during the pandemic by situating it within the post-war security reform efforts and past experiences with Ebola. It will show that RSLAF’s actions during COVID-19 is not an anomaly but rather part of a pattern of the army’s involvement in domestic emergency response efforts. These missions demonstrate the flexibility and broad capabilities of the armed forces and represent a dramatic reputation shift. Yet, it also raises questions about the implications of an increasingly domestically oriented military and suggests growing imbalances between the armed forces and other security forces such as the police.