# Exercise Obangame Express 2022 underway in Dakar, Senegal

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/03/exercise-obangame-express-2022-underway-in-dakar-senegal/
- Published: 2022-03-19T10:42:57+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

**Obangame Express (OE22), the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western
Africa kicked off its 11th year with 32 participating nations at an opening ceremony
in Dakar, Senegal, Mar. 11, 2022.**

Rear Adm. Kevin Jones, director, Logistics Directorate, J-4, U.S. Africa Command,
delivered remarks during the opening ceremony. “Obangame Express brings together
not only our militaries, but it also strengthens personal relationships as we work
together to address the maritime security issues impacting us each and every day,”
said Jones. “Growing maritime threats within Western Africa’s Atlantic littorals
and surrounding waters requires our mutual partnership to work together and rapidly
respond to those challenges.”

Exercise Obangame Express is sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and designed
to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness (MDA), information-sharing
practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities
of Gulf of Guinea and West African nations to counter sea-based illicit activity.

Obangame Express 2022, conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, is an at-sea maritime
exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to
increase maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal
regions. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum
of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners,
in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe
and Africa.

Additional speakers included Lt. Cmdr Assane Seye, Senegalese Navy Chief of Operations
Branch, and Capt. Thaison Do, exercise director, Obangame Express 2022.

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“A credible, capable naval presence increases maritime security, and highlights 
our shared commitment to the values of integrity and accountability among allied
and partnered nations,” Do said.

Numerous Maritime Operations Centers will participate ashore from across the Gulf
of Guinea and West Africa, along with several international organizations. Training
opportunities during OE22 include boarding techniques, search and rescue operations,
medical casualty response, radio communication, and information management techniques.

“Maritime partnerships and regional cooperation enable our nations to share responsibility
and collectively respond to challenges and threats,” said Jones. “Multinational 
cooperation with each other is vital if we want to successfully deter illegal activities
from disrupting the maritime domain.”

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Obangame Express 2022 takes place from March -18, 2022. The 32 nations participating
this year include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, 
Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, France,
Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands,
Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Spain, Togo, and the United States. Also participating will be the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central 
African States (ECCAS).

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy,
conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with 
allied and interagency partners in order to advance U.S. national interests and 
security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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