Morocco Takes Part in US-Led African Naval Exercise “Obangame Express 2019”

Morocco’s royal navy frigate “Mohammed V” takes part in the multinational “Obangame Express 2019” (OE19), conducted by US Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF), with the participation of several African countries.

The Moroccan frigate has docked at the autonomous port of Abidjan for this regional African maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.

OE19 focuses on maritime interdiction operations, as well as visit, board, search, and seizure techniques. It seeks to assess and improve Gulf of Guinea law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security, inform African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) planning and operations, and shape security force assistance efforts.

Obangame Express takes place in the Gulf of Guinea with signatory nations of the Youande Code of Conduct and includes 20 African partners. These are Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Cabo Verde, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bassau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, and Togo.