The Economic Community of West African States conducted Operation Safe Domain III, aimed at keeping the Gulf of Guinea free of piracy and trafficking.
The West African regional bloc, known as ECOWAS, includes 12 coastal countries among its 15 members. The third iteration of the maritime security training event ran August 5 to 9, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin.
The exercise included maritime and aerial surveillance, intervention training of operational units, surveys, and knowledge and research exchanges. The regional bloc’s Multinational Maritime Coordination Center (MMCC) for Zone E led the event. Zone E consists of Benin, Nigeria and Togo.
“The exercise’s objectives are threefold: to combat maritime crimes through equipment, training, and intelligence sharing; to promote information exchange and cooperation; and to create a secure environment for maritime commerce, thereby boosting trade and economic growth,” MMCC Zone E Director and Nigerian Navy Commodore Aniedi Aniedu Ibok said in his opening address. “The mission of the center is to strengthen activities aimed at cooperation, coordination, pooling and interoperability of resources among Zone E member states.”
The event is part of the ECOWAS integrated maritime strategy, which the bloc adopted in 2014 to address transnational maritime security challenges and their effects on economic development.
“Faced with the threats of piracy, armed robbery at sea and illicit maritime activities, ECOWAS has decided to mobilize its resources and coordinate its efforts to secure its maritime space,” Ibok said. “These threats have significant implications for the economic stability and development of our blue economy.
“Our response through Safe Domain III reflects our unwavering commitment to neutralizing these threats and creating a secure maritime environment conducive to commerce and trade.”
Nigerian Navy Capt. Idongesit Udoessien helmed one of four vessels participating in the exercise. As helicopters provided air support, the ships patrolled 105,746 square nautical miles.
“We have indeed displayed to the world that we can synergize our efforts at sub-regional levels to ensure maritime safety and security in order to ensure a thriving blue economy of the Zone E nations,” he said, according to Nigerian news website This Day Live.
Ibok noted a significant reduction in maritime crime, from 49 reported piracy cases in 2018 to just two in 2023. He attributed this success to coordination by ECOWAS, member states and international partners.
ECOWAS announced that Operation Safe Domain IV is planned for March 2025.