East African Nations Launch Landmark Maritime Security Exercise in Djibouti

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

East African Nations Launch Landmark Maritime Security Exercise in Djibouti

 

DJIBOUTI — The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) has launched its first-ever Maritime Command Post Exercise (CPX) in Djibouti, marking a significant milestone in regional efforts to strengthen cooperation on maritime security across the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean.

Codenamed “Bahari Salama 1” — meaning “Safe Ocean” in Swahili — the ten-day simulation brings together naval, police, and civilian personnel from ten EASF member states, including Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Nigeria.

Hosted at the Djibouti Coast Guard’s Doraleh Camp, the exercise falls under the African Standby Force (ASF) framework and the Djibouti Code of Conduct, which guides international maritime collaboration in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Participants are simulating real-world security scenarios such as piracy, terrorism, human trafficking, illegal fishing, and natural disasters, with the goal of improving coordination and readiness among regional forces.

The training involves the establishment of a Joint Maritime Task Force and a central Maritime Mission Headquarters to enhance command, control, and communication systems among participating states.

“This marks a decisive step in consolidating peace and stability across Eastern Africa’s maritime domain,” said Brigadier General (Rtd.) Paul Kahuria Njema, Director of the EASF. “It reflects our shared determination to safeguard regional waters and respond collectively to emerging maritime challenges.”

Djibouti’s strategic location at the mouth of the Red Sea — a critical gateway for global trade and counter-piracy operations — made it an ideal host for the first EASF maritime simulation.

The event was attended by senior military leaders, including General Zakaria Cheik Ibrahim, Chief of the General Staff of the Djibouti Armed Forces, and Colonel Wais Omar Bogoreh, Commander of the Coast Guard.

“This is more than a drill; it’s a test of our ability to act as one,” Colonel Bogoreh said. “It demonstrates our readiness to face threats and strengthen interoperability among regional forces.”

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), established in 2004 under the African Union (AU) framework, is one of five regional brigades of the African Standby Force. It was created to enable rapid deployment in peacekeeping and crisis response operations across the continent.

While EASF has previously focused on land and air exercises, Bahari Salama 1 represents its first major venture into maritime operations — an area of growing concern due to piracy, smuggling, and climate-driven humanitarian challenges affecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Nigeria’s involvement, through its engagement with the AU and regional defence cooperation platforms, underscores its continued commitment to continental peacekeeping and maritime safety initiatives beyond West Africa.

The maritime CPX forms part of EASF’s 2025 Activity Plan, approved during its 32nd and 33rd policy sessions in Kenya and Rwanda. The exercise also evaluates the readiness of member states for joint maritime peace support operations, logistical coordination, and adherence to international maritime and humanitarian laws.

Organisers hope that Bahari Salama 1 will serve as a model for future regional operations, fostering a safer and more cooperative maritime environment across Africa’s eastern coastline.

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