By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Accra, Oct. 29, GNA – Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are to test their capacity to respond to a large-scale oil spill crossing their shared maritime boundary as part of the 2026 Grand African NEMO (GANO) maritime security exercise.
The exercise, which runs from October 29 to November 6, will assess bilateral coordination, test operational and legal frameworks for managing transboundary marine pollution and strengthen maritime domain awareness.
Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy, disclosed this at the launch of the exercise at the ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC), Zone F, at Osu Castle in Accra.
He described the scenario as a significant feature of this year’s exercise, noting that it would be the first time Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire tested their respective capacities to contain a large-scale oil spill across their common maritime boundary.
He commended stakeholders from both countries for participating in the exercise, which he said would strengthen regional solidarity, operational readiness and cooperation in addressing shared maritime threats.
Rear Admiral Bessing said sustained cooperation, joint training and effective information sharing were essential because no single country could secure the region’s maritime domain alone.
He said stronger collaboration would help protect shipping, trade, coastal livelihoods and the marine environment while safeguarding the maritime boundaries of participating states.
The annual exercise, organised by the French Navy in collaboration with coastal countries and international partners, brings together navies, coast guards and maritime coordination centres to improve operational cooperation and responses to incidents at sea.
This year’s activities will cover maritime threats, including piracy, illegal fishing, illicit trafficking and illegal migration, as well as marine pollution and search and rescue operations.
Her Excellency Diarra Dime-Labille, the French Ambassador to Ghana, said maritime security was closely linked to the livelihoods of coastal communities and regional food security.
She said millions of people across the Gulf of Guinea depended on the sea for their livelihoods, adding that illegal fishing, piracy and oil spills threatened both economic activities and food supplies.
The ambassador said the exercise would strengthen the ability of participating navies, coordination centres and other agencies to work together, from detecting maritime threats to responding to and containing incidents.
She reaffirmed France’s support for regional maritime security cooperation and commended the Ghana Navy, the participating countries and regional institutions for their contributions.
The exercise is being conducted under the coordination of MMCC Zone F, whose participating countries are Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Captain Daniel Ehu, Director of MMCC Zone F, welcomed participants and acknowledged the continued support of the French Navy and its partners in strengthening maritime security cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea.
The exercise forms part of broader regional efforts to improve information sharing, interoperability, and coordinated responses to maritime threats that cross national boundaries.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Email: [email protected]