Luanda - The Zonal A phase of the fifth edition of the “Grand African Nemo” Naval Exercise, coordinated by Angola, begins on Thursday in the port area of Banana, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
At the event, which runs until the 14th of this month, the naval units of the area, which also includes the Republic of Congo, will develop themes on Maritime Piracy, Drug Trafficking and Unreported and Unregulated Illegal Fishing.
In addition to the port area of Banana, the Exercise will involve the maritime areas of Cabinda (Angola), which is the scene of the operations on Friday (13), and Ponta Negra (Congo), where training will culminate (the 14th).
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at the Angolan Navy Naval Base (MGA) in Luanda, the captain and spokesman for the exercise, Sebastião Gregório, explained that its purpose is to prepare the naval forces of the Gulf of Guinea countries in actions to combat illicit activities at sea and its related, ensuring maritime security and trade in that region and in the world.
He made it known that Naval Units in Zone A interact with the Amazona Patrol Ship, from the Federative Republic of Brazil, and the Congolese region of Ponta Negra houses the Central African Regional Maritime Security Center (CRESMAC).
Angola will attend the Exercise with 145 members, being 65 Navy personnel and the remaining are from National Air Force, National Police, Foreign Migration Service (SME), Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), Border Guard Troops, Customs Tax Police and representatives of the Multi-Sectoral Operational Group for Maritime Surveillance and Inspection.
He explained that previously the national phase of the Grand African Nemo exercise took place (from the 4th to the 11th of this month), that is, its first stage, in which 18 countries in the region carried out training at the level of their respective maritime territories.
During this period, Angola developed the themes “Maritime Pollution”, in Luanda area, “Illegal Immigration”, in Ambriz, Bengo province, and “Arms Trafficking”, in Soyo (Zaire).
In the second phase, starting this Thursday, the Navies and Coast Guards of these 18 States in the Gulf Region will be divided into zones, until the 19th of this month, in a more comprehensive action that will involve approximately 1,350 military personnel, 450 civilians , 26 ships and four aircraft.
Participating in the exercise are São Tomé and Príncipe, Cameroon and Gabon (Zone D), Togo, Benin and Nigeria (Zone E), Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana (Zone F), Cape Verde, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Republic of Guinea (Zone G) and Angola, Republic of Congo and DR Congo (Zone A).
According to the spokesperson, the training involves six partners from the North and South Atlantic, namely the United States of America, England, France, Italy, Spain and Brazil.
The Grand African Nemo is an annual exercise embodied in the Yaoundé (Cameroon) code of conduct aimed at the naval forces of the Gulf of Guinea countries, taking into account maritime security and trade in the region and beyond. VC/VIC/DOJ
