Africa-Press – Angola. The Angolan Navy participates, from this Monday until the 17th of this month, in the Gulf of Guinea region, in the international exercise called “Obangame Express 2024”.
The exercise takes place annually as part of the implementation of the Yaondé Architecture, in the Gulf of Guinea region, of which Angola is part and coordinator of Zone A.
The same is part of maritime agreements and interoperability between African, European and American countries, and takes place under the auspices of the African Naval Force (NAVAF) of the African Command (AFRICOM) of the United States of America (USA).
The OE24 aims to exercise regional maritime agreements and interoperability between African, European and North Atlantic nations and US military and civil agencies, in the broad responsibilities of maritime security, which include energy security, combating maritime piracy, trafficking illicit and illegal fishing.
It also aims to improve search and rescue techniques, kidnapping, illegal immigration, armed robbery of ships and response to oil spills.
Speaking to the press, the head of the Angolan Navy’s operations department, Rear Admiral Josemar de Carvalho, said that the corporation is ready to participate in “Obangame Express 2024”.
According to the rear admiral, for the exercise, the navy has state-of-the-art equipment, in addition to qualified human resources.
For the maneuvers, he informed that MGM will participate with a Ngola Kiluange or Ocean Eagle class patrol vessel, an HSI-32 Interceptor boat, four Rodman33 class patrol boats, three boarding teams, an equal number of pneumatic boats for VBSS training, a Maritime Operations Center, an ambulance and a Helicopter belonging to the National Air Force.
It also has marine special actions deployment teams, specialized in cooperative and non-cooperative approaches.
Josemar de Carvalho added that this exercise seeks to have a positive impact on the pacification of conflicts in Africa and the West.
He stated that the participation of the Angolan Navy in this event will increasingly improve the operationalization of the forces, which could carry out other missions on the continent and beyond.
The command and direction of the exercise will be carried out from the General Command Post located in Libreville-Gabon and, in the five zones, by the Multinational Coordination Centers.
In Zone A, where Angola is the coordinating country, it will be directed by the MGA commission, the NAVAF team of evaluators, observer officers from the Regional Maritime Security Center (CRESMAC) and the countries belonging to the zone.
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