African navies, coast guards partner French Navy

…to strengthen maritime security

By Konrad Kodjo DJAISI

African navies and coast guards are partnering with the French Navy under the Grand African NEMO (GANO) initiative to enhance maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The international operational cooperation exercise, co-organised by the Yaoundé Architecture and the French Navy, aims to strengthen regional coordination, combat illicit maritime activities and safeguard marine resources.

From October 13 to 15, 2025, representatives of the Yaoundé Architecture, navies, coast guards and State Action at Sea agencies from Gulf of Guinea nations along with international partners, convened in Accra for the final planning conference ahead of the exercise.

Now in its eighth edition, Grand African NEMO 2025 is scheduled to take place from November 10 to 17, covering vast maritime zones from Senegal to Angola. The exercise will involve over 60 participants from coastal and partner nations, building on groundwork laid during the main planning session held in June in Brest, France.

The discussions in Accra focused on key regional security concerns, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking and marine environmental protection. The event also sought to strengthen trust, coordination and the sense of community among stakeholders in the African maritime domain.

As the host nation for this year’s planning conference, Ghana occupies a strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea’s maritime security framework. Participants are expected to finalise logistical preparations in the coming weeks to ensure full operational readiness for the November exercise.

Last year’s edition, held from November 4 to 11, brought together 26 partner nations and involved 55 naval units, 11 aircraft and several command and coordination centres on land. Spanning a wide area from Senegal to Angola, the exercise featured nearly 70 complex scenarios and mobilised more than 4,000 personnel.

Captain Kerebel Gérard, the French Navy’s officer responsible for the NEMO initiative, said the exercise was established to address threats along the Gulf of Guinea and strengthen maritime safety. He emphasised its role in promoting collaboration and readiness among regional navies.

Similarly, Bell Bell Emmanuel, Acting Director of the Inter-Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) in Yaoundé, said this year’s exercise continues the partnership between Gulf of Guinea states and the French Navy. He noted that the event is strategically designed to bolster maritime trade and curb piracy, which remains a persistent threat in the region.

He commended Grand African NEMO for enhancing the capacities of regional navies and coast guards, particularly in information sharing and joint responses to IUU fishing and piracy.

Established in June 2013 by leaders of ECOWAS, ECCAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), the Yaoundé Architecture provides a collaborative framework for preventing and prosecuting maritime crimes in the region. It operates through the Inter-Regional Coordination Centre (ICC), which links the Regional Maritime Security Centres for Central and West Africa (CRESMAC and CRESMAO).

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