Naval News Today
US Naval Leaders Seeking To Expand African Sea Police
Western and African naval leaders have laid plans to expand a multi-national program to protect and police Africa’s coast and maritime resources, during a symposium held in Senegal’s capital Dakar.
“We are trying to get more European allies involved in the Africa Partnership Station, in its staff, by providing ships or training teams. We want to internationalize this initiative,” Admiral Anthony Kurta, head of politics, resources and strategy for U.S. naval forces in Europe, told a press conference after the talks ended on Wednesday.
APS was set up by the U.S. in November 2007 to bring the latest training and techniques to maritime professionals in west and central African countries, to address common threats of illegal fishing, smuggling and human trafficking.
To date, it has brought 13 countries into the maritime alliance. Those in Africa are Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and the state of Sao Tome and Principe islands, while Germany, Denmark, Spain, France and Portugal are participating from Europe.
Nigeria: U.S., Country Navy Hold Joint Training
THE American Navy Ship ‘HSV SWIFT’ will be transiting the Gulf of Guinea from 14 to 20 April 2008, with a stop over in Lagos.
The visit will afford the American Navy and its Nigerian counterpart to hold a joint training.
The exercise to be conducted at the Western Naval Command’s area of responsibility, will focus on the Automatic Identification System aimed at enhancing Nigerian Navy’s capability to monitor vessel traffic in Nigerian waters.
According to a statement signed by Captain Henry Babalola, during the port call, the ships personnel of ‘HSV SWIFT’ will visit places of interest in Lagos and also have social and sporting activities with their Nigerian Navy counterparts during the port call.
He emphasized that the visit will enhance the robust bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and the United State of America.
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Bio: I am currently a Professor of Security Studies, hold a BS in Management and an MA in National Security Studies, and am pursuing an MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology. I've written for Navy Times, Proceedings, Armed Forces Journal and a number of blogs. As a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, I attained the rank of Commander, deployed five times for four different conflicts and served as a Foreign Area Officer and a Surface Warfare Officer. During my 7 years in the private sector, I worked in the fields of information technology and publishing, and even ran for public office once.
