Leadership (Abuja)
Atang Izang
12 September 2008
The United States Defence Attache in Nigeria, Colonel Hoffman, has said that his country recognised and appreciated the role the Nigerian Navy is playing in global maritime security and promised to work towards an improved naval cooperation between the two countries.
He made this known during his maiden official visit to the newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Ishaya Iko Ibrahim, at the Naval Headquarters in company of the Deputy Director of Foreign Liaison in the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Captain Olawunmi.
According to a statement signed by the Naval Director of Information (DINFO) at the Naval Headquarters, Captain Henry Babalola, and made available to LEADERSHIP, a U.S. ship, ELROD, will be paying a port visit to Lagos from 17-22 September, 2008.
"The ship is coming solely for a joint training exercise with the Nigerian Navy," he said, adding, "The exercise will dwell principally on search and rescue training, both theoretically in harbour and at sea."
It will feature the newly installed Regional Maritime Awareness Capability and Automated Identification System (RMAC/AIS). The exercise will also offer an opportunity to frame the capabilities and limits of the RMAC/AIS in conjunction with the Maritime Safety and Security Information System (MSSIS).
The directorate also noted that the exercise will provide an avenue for continuous U.S. assistance to the Nigerian Navy in developing emergency response structures.
During the visit, the commanding officer will pay a courtesy visit to the Flag Officer commanding the Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Silvester Umosen, and undertake a tour of the command. The sea trip and training will commence on Friday, September 19 with a debrief on the training.
Meanwhile, the French Navy has formally invited the CNS of Nigeria, Vice Admiral Ishaya Iko Ibrahim, to its exhibition taking place in Paris at the end of October.
This was disclosed by the visiting French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jean Michel Dumont, who was accompanied by his country's Defence Attache, Captain Gilles Rodrigues, when he visited the Nigerian Naval chief in his office.
The ambassador noted that improved military cooperation between Nigeria and France was culminating in training of Nigerian Navy personnel in France and port visits by French Navy ships.
The Defence Adviser also intimated the CNS of the impending visit of a French Navy supply and repair ship to Lagos between September 29 and October 3, 2008. During the visit, Nigerian Navy officers will embark on the ship for joint training.
In his response, Vice Admiral Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Nigeria and France, particularly with the visit of French Navy ships to Nigeria and the attendant training opportunities between navies of the two countries.
The admiral also solicited for more cooperation in the areas of logistics, operations and training.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Leadership. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
