The national navy will be at the front, from May 8 to 18, as part of Obangame 2024.
Thanks to this maritime security exercise in the Gulf of Guinea, the Ivorian naval force, through military maneuvers carried out jointly with other African maritime powers, will strengthen its operational capabilities at sea with a view to successfully carrying out the fight against maritime piracy, illegal fishing, drug trafficking.
Lieutenant Commander Anoman Letchi, director of sea exercises, at the opening ceremony of Obangame 2024, Friday, May 10, at the Yopougon-Locodjro naval base (Abidjan), said the naval force will engage large means in order to put the teams who will be in the theater of operations in a combat situation.
“This annual exercise which takes place throughout the Gulf of Guinea, will be carried out in Ivorian waters from tomorrow (today, Editor’s note) with the practical phase with the themes of maritime pollution, drug trafficking, undeclared illegal fishing and unregulated, maritime piracy. (…) This year, the French navy, aware of the need for rigorous training, is committing more resources than before with its high-sea patrol boats, launches and ultra-modern boats. We will also have liaison officers, the maritime operational center, maritime patrol aircraft, the gendarmerie port security group brigade team,” he said.
The Corvette captain also indicated that Ivory Coast’s participation in Obangame allows the country to strengthen its maritime personnel. “This type of exercise is the best way to train sailors to face multifaceted threats and to be able to react when incidents occur,” he explained.
Captain de Vaisseaux, Ehui Daniel, on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, N’Guessan Kouamé Célestin, expressed his gratitude to the United States Africa Command (Africom) and the American naval forces for the initiative.
Kouassi Yao Pierre, the representative of the permanent secretary of the interministerial committee on state action at sea, argued that Obangame offers maritime administrations in the Gulf of Guinea opportunities for collaboration to address transnational maritime concerns.
