Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire to embark on maritime security exercise
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are set to assess their ability to jointly manage responses to major oil spills across their shared maritime boundary during the 2026 edition of Exercise Grand African NEMO (GANO), a multinational maritime security exercise in the Gulf of Guinea.
The annual exercise seeks to strengthen regional cooperation and improve maritime safety and security among coastal countries in West and Central Africa.
Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are participating in this year’s programme.
The exercise was officially launched by the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone ‘F’ at Osu Castle in Accra on October 28, 2026. It will evaluate Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire’s operational preparedness, bilateral coordination and legal arrangements for addressing marine pollution incidents that cross national boundaries.
The programme forms part of broader regional initiatives under the Yaoundé Architecture, which seeks to deepen maritime security cooperation and protect the Gulf of Guinea from transnational maritime threats.
Significance
Ghana’s Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, described the exercise as an important milestone in strengthening cooperation between the two countries in tackling marine pollution.
He praised stakeholders from both countries for committing to the exercise, noting that it would assess operational procedures, enhance interoperability and strengthen trust among participating forces.
Rear Admiral Bessing stressed that no country could effectively protect its maritime territory on its own, highlighting the need for intelligence sharing, joint patrols, coordinated operations and continuous capacity development.
Protecting livelihoods
The French Ambassador to Ghana, Diarra Dimé-Labille, said maritime security was essential to safeguarding livelihoods, food supplies and economic activities throughout the Gulf of Guinea.
She noted that nearly one in every 10 people in Ghana relied on fishing for their livelihoods, with more than two million people involved in small-scale fisheries.
According to her, illegal fishing, piracy and oil spills posed serious risks to coastal communities and regional food security, making collaboration among maritime countries critical.
Mrs Dimé-Labille disclosed that this year’s exercise would bring together 19 African navies and nine partner navies, supported by 60 vessels and 10 aircraft.
Among the participating vessels are the French amphibious assault ship Mistral and the Ghana Navy’s MV Esther Ocloo.
She said the exercise would cover several maritime security operations, including efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy, armed robbery at sea, trafficking, search and rescue operations, and responses to marine pollution.
Regarding the oil-spill simulation, the ambassador explained that naval and air assets would work together through a coordinated process, starting with aerial reconnaissance and pollution assessment before moving to intervention and containment.
She said the exercise was designed to ensure that navies, coordination centres and other relevant agencies function as a coordinated system, from detecting and evaluating maritime incidents to intercepting and containing threats.
The ambassador also acknowledged the contributions of the exercise’s international partners, including the European Union, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, the United States, Morocco and Mauritania.
Meanwhile, the Director of MMCC Zone ‘F’, Captain Daniel Ehu, reiterated the centre’s commitment to strengthening collaboration among navies, coast guards and other maritime institutions.
About The Author
