Ghana Navy Visits Cote d’Ivoire


The chief of the naval Staff, Rear Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro, has led a strong naval delegation to pay a historic goodwill visit to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire on board two ships – GNS NAA GBEWAA and GNS CHEMLE.

The visit was aimed at discussing ways of progressively improving and bolstering the security of both navies through mutual collaboration, joint maritime training and exercises. It was also an opportunity to interact with the military and political heads of Cote d’Ivoire, a release signed by Lieutenant Commander Andy La-Anyane, Deputy Director (Information and Press Relations) for Acting Director, Public Relations, has indicated.

During the visit, Rear Admiral Biekro met with the Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire as well as the Minister for Defence, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and other senior military officers of the country.

During the interactions, Admiral Biekro discussed the need for the two countries to explore areas of cooperation, especially in joint military training and technical support for each other in combating the many challenges confronting the West African maritime industry.

During a courtesy call on General Bakayoko, the Ivorian Chief of the Defence Staff, he lauded Ghanaian peacekeepers for their contribution in the peace process during the war in that country.

He noted that the singular act of solidarity had saved a lot of the people.

He was very grateful for the initiative of the Chief of the Naval Staff and hoped that the visit would further boost the relationship between the two countries.

The highlight of the visit was the discussion, developing and signing of a joint communiqué between the two navies.

This was witnessed by the Ivorian Minister for Defence and Ghana’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire. Both agreed on an annual exchange of visits between the two navies, information sharing to be continued and intensified, training facilities of both navies to be explored for mutual benefits and joint operations and training to be conducted twice a year.

In order to combat piracy in the sub-region, it was agreed that governments of both countries must agree on hot pursuit of pirates in each other’s territory to ensure the free passage of goods and services at sea. This had become necessary due to the increasing level of transnational maritime criminal activities along the coast of West Africa.

They also agreed on providing assistance to each other during search and rescue operations.

Before the departure of the delegation, Rear Admiral Biekro and the Commanding Officers of the two Ghana Navy Ships were decorated with state medals.


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