In all, 111 members from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Liberia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the US attended lectures, practiced maritime safety ways, and drilled cooperatively collectively.
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard’s Tactical Regulation Enforcement Group (TACLET), Royal Netherlands Marine Corps (Corps Mariniers) Reconnaissance Sniper Group, NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Coaching Centre, and INTERPOL led a strong sequence of coaching occasions in Sekondi. French interpreters from the Royal Netherlands Army offered translation of the teachings to over 50 personnel from 5 French-speaking West African nations.
“I feel it’s great to see so many countries coaching collectively,” stated Royal Netherlands Marine Corps 1st Lt. Sergio D’Elia, group chief for the Dutch instructors at Sekondi. “Nations that don’t get to satisfy typically have been coaching collectively as one group… [and it] occurred very naturally.”
Throughout the first two days of the occasion, members rotated between 4 stations overlaying hallway-clearing procedures, room-clearing procedures, and tactical casualty care treating wounds and main accidents. These occasions have been primarily taught via joint instruction by the U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. Two Greek Navy personnel from NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Coaching Centre (NMIOTC)’s cellular coaching group additionally joined the multinational contingent.
“Working alongside our Dutch and Greek allies to coach our African companions in maritime centered tactical procedures and medical care empowers nations to deal with disaster successfully,” stated U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Paul Avella, senior U.S. Coast Guard official overseeing Obangame Specific 2024 coaching at Ghana Western Naval Headquarters. “It’s a strategic funding in peace and safety.”
The next two days of coaching centered on studying about preliminary maritime crime scene investigation and proof assortment, in addition to making use of this to a shipboard setting. Trainees took to Snake-class patrol ship GNS Ehwor (P 37) and Cutter-class patrol ship GNS Anzone (P 30) to follow the abilities they’d discovered about shut quarters fight and maritime interdiction. Additionally they snapped on pairs of surgical gloves to use crime scene proof assortment coaching in a hands-on exercise arrange by INTERPOL Regional Maritime Safety Directorate legal intelligence officer Ludovic Payet.
“They’re the primary individual at sea that can take motion throughout an investigation,” stated Payet. “If they don’t use private protecting gear, they may contaminate the crime scene… so now we have to show them the fundamentals so we are able to have a robust police case.”
On the ultimate day of instruction, college students as soon as once more embarked aboard Ghana Navy ships and small boats to use all that they’d discovered, together with boarding methods and small boat helmsmanship. Collectively, the militaries meshed and labored alongside each other to finish every of the duties, typically speaking with hand indicators to interrupt the language barrier.
“It will be significant for all of those international locations to come back collectively as a result of we’re all Africans and we’re all people,” stated Equipment Technician Seaman Apprentice Erica Davis of the Liberia Nationwide Coast Guard. “It’s good to share concepts from nation to nation so we are able to get higher collectively.”
After the completion of the ultimate coaching day’s occasions, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Netherlands Marine Corps trainers awarded certificates in English and French signifying the profitable completion of the week’s actions. On the closing ceremony, trainers and trainees mirrored on the good strides they made collectively, and the lasting relationships they in-built Ghana. Nobody nation can handle transnational threats alone, so workout routines like Obangame Specific present a basis for collaboration all year long.
“Within the case of maritime safety within the Gulf of Guinea, it is vitally necessary that every nation has excellent abilities with a view to address the threats of the realm,” stated Royal Netherlands Navy Capt. Idzerd van Eysinga, The Netherlands Protection Attaché for West Africa. “They should practice maritime interdiction procedures to work collectively internationally and guarantee interoperability. Due to quick evolving threats within the area, they should proceed to coach collectively.”
Throughout train Obangame Specific 2024, the thirteenth iteration of the train, companion and ally forces collaborate to boost collective maritime regulation enforcement capabilities, bolster nationwide and regional safety in West Africa, and foster better interoperability amongst U.S., African, and multinational companions. The U.S. routinely workout routines with our companions in Africa to construct enduring relationships and mixed capability to make sure the security and safety of the regional maritime atmosphere.
For extra data on Obangame Specific, go to https://www.dvidshub.internet/function/obangameexpress2024 or https://twitter.com/usnavyEurope/. Please direct any questions or requests to cne_cna_c6fpao@us.navy.mil.
