East African States Strengthen Maritime Security

East African States Strengthen Maritime Security

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East African countries continue their joint efforts to bolster maritime security. In November ‘Cutlass Express 2013’, a large multinational maritime training event in East Africa waters, was conducted by some of the region’s countries.

US Marines brief Ugandan soldiers. Illustration photo: U.S. Navy
US Marines brief Ugandan soldiers. Illustration photo: U.S. Navy

According to Janes the week-long exercise, the third in three years, was conducted from naval hubs in Mombasa, Kenya; Djibouti (city), Djibouti; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Port Victoria, Seychelles.

Participants worked to improve tactical skills for a variety of missions germane to the region – including counter-piracy, counter-trafficking, and illegal fishing – by training in maritime boarding, medical response, radio communication, and information sharing across regional maritime operations centers, according to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, the shared naval component of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

‘Cutlass Express 2013’ saw participation from Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Comoros, Yemen, the Netherlands, and Denmark, as well as representatives from NATO, the EU Naval Force, and U.S. members of the Eastern Africa Standby Force.

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Troops involved in the event executed “tactics and techniques within scenarios that mirror real-world counter-piracy and counter-illicit trafficking operations, as well as actions taken to deter illegal fishing”, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa said in a statement. More broadly, it focused on regional co-operation in the maritime domain by training to improve information sharing, and general communications and interoperability.

“The exercise serves to demonstrate and test skills that are developed as part of Africa Partnership Station and ongoing efforts to increase maritime domain awareness,” added the U.S. naval component, which is part of the US 6th fleet and the organizer of three other ‘Express’ series of exercises around Africa.

Africa Partnership Station was established in 2007 by AFRICOM as an international security co-operation initiative that works to bolster maritime collaboration by hosting a variety of training and capacity building efforts.