Hauwa Ali
The largest multinational maritime exercise in Western and Central Africa, Obangame Express 2023, has successfully ended as partners and allies celebrated the conclusion of the exercise.
The ceremony, which ended recently, was hosted in the Nigerian Navys Admiralty Conference Center in the Naval Dockyard.
The event included remarks by U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk Smith, deputy commander at U.S. Africa Command, and Nigerian Navy Vice Adm. AwwalGambo, Chief of Naval Staff.
Gambo said that the maritime exercise, which brought together foreign partners, had also improved competencies through interaction with one another.
The exercise exposed distinct salient points and critical observations, which are apt, relevant and will remain valuable towards improving future exercises.
For example, we are expecting to conduct Exercise Aman later in the year and lessons learnt from Ex -Obangame will be applied in this exercise.
I appreciate the diligence of our indefatigable observers for a great job and also commend the level of preparedness for the exercise, which manifested in commendable performances, the CNS said.
Gambo also commended partner nations that dispatched ships that participated in the sea exercise, particularly the U.S. and Spain.
He said that the participation of their ships enhanced capacity development and facilitated safe, more secure and enabling maritime environment for socio-economic activities to thrive within the Gulf of Guinea.
I specifically acknowledge our U.S. partners, particularly the African Command towards encouraging and bolstering regional cooperation and collaboration.
They have helped in the establishment of the regional maritime domain awareness facilities in coastal states across the Gulf of Guinea, and sustained capacity through the facilitys training school at Apapa, Lagos.
These are absolutely powerful testimonies to the steadfast commitment of the U.S. Government to enhancing maritime security across the board, the CNS said.
Gambo added that these efforts facilitated the integration of relations between the Navies, aimed at achieving holistic and sustainable maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
He said that the magnitude of most maritime threats and their interconnectedness, coupled with the diversity of impacts, demanded collaborative framed responses.
This is important because no single Navy or coast guard can do it alone.
Lessons from this exercise will be developed into collaborative actions that will support strategic initiatives to enhance collective preparedness to successfully curb emerging maritime challenges in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
I also appreciate our Nigerian Navy participants that contributed in making the exercise a huge success, Gambosaid.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk Smith, described the event as great example of multiple partners coming together and understanding shared challenges, and shared opportunities,.
Precision is what makes us perfect, attention to every little detail is what makes us professional. The most important part is what we learn from the exercise to make us better for the next time that we come together. Smith said.
U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Calvin Foster, director of Maritime Partnership at U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, also accompanied Smith during his visit to Nigeria for the closing of exercise OE23.
While in Lagos, Smith and Foster met with Nigerian leaders at the Joint Maritime Security Training Center, Western Naval Command, Naval Air Base Ojo, and the Special Boat Squadron. The tour provided a comprehensive review of the multi-faceted approach Nigeria, and other partner nations, are taking in the regions maritime security domain.
Nigeria, OE23 host and a key leader in the Gulf of Guineas maritime security, has been critical to the success of Obangame Express 2023.
At sea, the participants conducted training in countering the trafficking of persons, narcotics, illegal fishing, and piracy, as well as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure simulations all while maintaining communication and working in concert with partner and allied ships.
In conjunction with the operational training, the exercise featured developments with the Women, Peace and Security initiative, and multiple concerts by the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) Band. Notably, the NAVEUR-NAVAF Band was hosted by Chief Dr. Nike Davies-Okundaye, an internationally-acclaimed Nigerian artist, Channels TV, an internationally-syndicated news program, and the University of Lagos.
Conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), OE23 is designed to improve regional cooperation, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities of participating nations to counter Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing and other sea-based illicit activity.
The participating nations during OE23 included Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Cote dIvoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, and the United States. Also participating will be the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).