The Commander of the Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 visited Mombasa, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam last week to engage with representatives of the Kenyan and Tanzanian Defence Forces as well as regional law enforcement to strengthen cooperation for maritime security in the region.
The first visit was to the Commander of the Kenyan Navy, Major-General Mghalu, at Mtongwe Naval Base, Mombasa. The working visit served to increase the understanding and awareness of both parties’ interests and intents, and ended with a tour of the Naval Base and Kenyan naval vessels.
In Nairobi, Rear Admiral Lebas met with representatives from the United Nations Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group (UNSEMG), the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the head of the EU Delegation to Somalia to discuss the situation in the region and the application of the UN Security Council Resolution 2317, an embargo on arms and charcoal trafficking.
From Kenya, the Commander CTF 150 travelled to the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam to engage with the National Drug Enforcement Agency, a new organisation created for the sole purpose of combating narcotics trafficking in Tanzania. The visit established a vital line of communication between two organisations with a common objective and clear interest in providing mutual support.
The final stop was a meeting with representatives of the Tanzanian Peoples Defence Forces, including the Chief of Operations, Captain Mumanga. It included an open discussion with Tanzanian Naval Officers on CTF 150’s mission, as well as counter-narcotics and smuggling operations in the Indian Ocean more generally.
Key Leadership Engagement (KLE) is an important component of CTF 150’s mission. The engagement facilitates and promotes cooperation with Combined Maritime Forces’ regional partners, which include nations around our Area of Operations that participate in combating terrorist activity and illicit trafficking.Closer cooperation can include information sharing, capacity building and training exercises between CTF 150 warships and local maritime security forces during port visits.
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