Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are set to test their capacity to respond to a large-scale oil spill crossing their shared maritime boundary. The exercise, which runs from October 29 to November 6, aims to assess bilateral coordination, test operational and legal frameworks for managing transboundary marine pollution, and strengthen maritime domain awareness. This significant feature of this year’s exercise will be the first time both countries have tested their respective capacities to contain a large-scale oil spill across their common maritime boundary.
The exercise was launched at the ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC), Zone F, at Osu Castle in Accra. Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy, disclosed the details of the exercise. He commended stakeholders from both countries for participating, noting that it would strengthen regional solidarity, operational readiness, and cooperation in addressing shared maritime threats.
Rear Admiral Bessing emphasized that sustained cooperation, joint training, and effective information sharing are essential in securing the region’s maritime domain. He noted that no single country can secure the region’s maritime domain alone and that stronger collaboration is necessary to protect shipping, trade, coastal livelihoods, and the marine environment.
The annual exercise, organized by the French Navy in collaboration with coastal countries and international partners, brings together navies, coast guards, and maritime coordination centers to improve operational cooperation and responses to incidents at sea. This year’s activities will cover various maritime threats, including piracy, illegal fishing, illicit trafficking, and illegal migration, as well as marine pollution and search and rescue operations.
Her Excellency Diarra Dime-Labille, the French Ambassador to Ghana, highlighted the importance of maritime security, which is closely linked to the livelihoods of coastal communities and regional food security. She noted that millions of people across the Gulf of Guinea depend on the sea for their livelihoods and that illegal fishing, piracy, and oil spills threaten both economic activities and food supplies.
The exercise is being conducted under the coordination of MMCC Zone F, whose participating countries are Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Captain Daniel Ehu, Director of MMCC Zone F, welcomed participants and acknowledged the continued support of the French Navy and its partners in strengthening maritime security cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea.
The exercise forms part of broader regional efforts to improve information sharing, interoperability, and coordinated responses to maritime threats that cross national boundaries. The goal is to strengthen the ability of participating navies, coordination centers, and other agencies to work together, from detecting maritime threats to responding to and containing incidents.
Key points
- The exercise aims to assess bilateral coordination and test operational and legal frameworks for managing transboundary marine pollution.
- The exercise covers various maritime threats, including piracy, illegal fishing, illicit trafficking, and illegal migration.
- The exercise is part of broader regional efforts to improve information sharing, interoperability, and coordinated responses to maritime threats.
