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Cameroon Hosts International Navies to Plan Exercise Obangame Express 2013

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS130207-04
2/7/2013

By Lt. Cmdr. Kevin West, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

DOUALA, Cameroon (NNS) -- Partner navies joined together in Cameroon to finalize plans for Exercise Obangame Express 2013 (OE13), Jan. 15-17.

The exercise will take place this spring and include navies from 15 nations with the goal of increasing counter-piracy capabilities of nations in the Gulf of Guinea.

'The goal is building partnerships and sharing information,' said Chief Hospital Corpsman Kevin Carpenter, lead medical planner for the exercise. 'Our role is to support Cameroon as they share their knowledge with partner nations.'

The exercise will focus on training the countries in the region in deterring threats to maritime security. Training will include at-sea ship boarding and queries, air operations, communication drills and regional information sharing.

'This massive presence illustrates we are all coming together with a strategy for security in the Gulf of Guinea,' said Maj. Gen. Mohamadou Sali, commander of the 2nd Joint Military Region in Cameroon. 'Our forces improve strategy based on joint exercises and these strategies improve our maritime security.'

OE13, in its third year, is one of four African regional Express-series exercises and will focus specifically on counter-piracy and maritime security operations. Nations participating include Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Netherlands, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Spain, Togo and the United States.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.