Thirty African nations on 16 May wrapped up two weeks of intense training during Exercise Obangame Express 2025 (OE25), strengthening regional collaboration and reaffirming their commitment to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean off Africa’s western coast.
Obangame Express is an annual exercise currently in its 14th iteration and is the largest multinational maritime exercise in West and Central Africa. It is led by US Sixth Fleet and supported by US Africa Command. The name “Obangame” stems from the Fang language meaning “togetherness”.
Participating nations worked side-by-side to address shared maritime threats and refine command-and-control procedures across the region’s strategic waters, the US Navy said. Military forces deployed more than 30 ships, multiple aircraft, and 21 maritime operations centres to carry out scenarios such as piracy interdiction, illegal fishing enforcement, oil platform protection, and maritime search-and-rescue. Maritime partners operated in real time—both at sea and ashore—focused on speed, coordination, and shared responsibility.
“Obangame Express demonstrates the strength of regional cooperation by promoting stability and security across the Gulf of Guinea,” said Ambassador, Robert Scott, Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagements, US Africa Command. “The collaboration, professionalism and mutual respect displayed throughout this exercise are a testament to what we can achieve together. US Africa Command remains proud to support these efforts, strengthening regional stability and promoting a more secure and prosperous coastline for all. We thank Cabo Verde for its partnership and exceptional hosting of this exercise.”
African coastal states led many of the operations with the strong support from international partners, including the United States, France, Portugal, Brazil, and Denmark. These nations contributed both classroom instruction and hands-on training, helping build skills and interoperability, the US Navy said. Crews exchanged real-time intelligence, synchronized communication systems, and tested multinational response capabilities. The West and Central Africa Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) network played a key role in sharing information and maintaining maritime domain awareness across borders.
Subject matter experts from various participating nations delivered classroom instruction covering maritime law, medical readiness, and command-and-control techniques. These exchanges improved interoperability, strengthened mutual understanding, and laid the groundwork for long-term cooperation beyond the exercise, according to the US Navy.
“This year, 22 African nations and 8 international partners have gathered here to strengthen cooperation, build collective capacity, and address maritime security challenges. The number of countries participating is a testament to the strength of our shared commitment to regional peace and security,” said US Ambassador to the Republic of Cabo Verde Jennifer Adams.
Participating nations in OE25 include: Angola, Benin, Belgium, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, United Kingdom and the United States.
Exercise Expands Focus on Legal Finish
OE25 has significantly expanded its illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF)-related training. The exercise included 21 IUUF-focused scenarios, legal finish simulations, and new cross-border interdiction drills. Training emphasizes not just stopping vessels at sea but following through with evidence collection and prosecution.
“In response to these threats and strong interest from African partners, OE25 has incorporated counter IUU-F activities directly into the exercise, beginning with the role of Maritime Operation Centres in enhancing surveillance, coordination and information sharing among regional maritime forces,” said Scott.
US Coast Guard and interagency experts supported legal tabletop exercises during the two-week operation. These sessions were designed to strengthen the ability of African nations to apply maritime law and prosecute offenders under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct—a regional security framework signed by 25 West and Central African states.
While hosted by Cabo Verde, the exercise stretched across five maritime zones from Senegal to Angola and involved over 100 US personnel, including boarding teams and legal advisors.
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