NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 24 — Kenya’s military has concluded a 14-day joint maritime exercise with Canada and forces from eight African nations in an effort to improve its maritime capabilities.
The exercise christened ‘Maritime Exercise Cutlass Express 2022’ (CE 22) was conducted in Kenya, Djibouti, Madagascar and Mauritius.
Speaking during the closing ceremony held at Fort Jesus in Mombasa on Wednesday, Kenya Navy Headquarters Chief of Logistics Colonel John Khaoya expressed his appreciation to the participating troops for the effort and teamwork they displayed throughout the exercise.
“CE 22 has had one overarching aim: building and maintenance of security partnerships, with stronger partnerships, we are now better equipped to deter and suppress crimes at sea, preserve our ecosystems, and protect our maritime resources. The effort and teamwork displayed during the past three weeks is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our forces,” said Colonel Khaoya.
The military exercise, sponsored by the U.S. Africa Command and led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, aimed at assessing and improving combined maritime law enforcement capacity, promoting national and regional security in East Africa and increasing interoperability between the United States African nations, and international partners.
The CE 22 Exercise Director Colonel Canon Nelson from the US Marines said the exercise represents a shared commitment by East Africa and West Indian Ocean nations and the importance for maritime cooperation in the two regions.
“Our key purpose is to enhance the information exchange and regional information-sharing with our maritime partners and to improve our collective effectiveness at sea and address our primary challenges,” said Colonel Nelson.
Kenya Coast Guard Services (KCGS) Director of Fleet Operations Lieutenant Colonel Anwar Ahmed, who also spoke at the ceremony, stated that despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the exercise was a great success with participants getting more exposure in the marine operating environment.
“Focus on maritime domain awareness, information sharing, maritime interdiction and adherence to rules of law will go along the way in enhancing regional capabilities and collaboration,’’ said Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed.
Canada, Comoros, Djibouti, Georgia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, and the United States took part in the exercise.
The activities include the in-port preparatory phases and three days of at-sea scenarios designed to improve the proficiency of boarding teams and operators in the Maritime Operations Centres.
