By Abass Jalloh
The Coast Guard Cutter of the United States (USCGC), Mohawk, made its way to Freetown during the weekend to visit the country's port in a bid to protect the Sierra Leonean waters.
Part of the itinerary of the vessel’s visit includes embankment on a combined mission with officers from the Sierra Leone Maritime Committee and the Ministry of Fisheries, to safeguard the country's natural resources in the sea.
According to a statement from the US Embassy in Freetown through the visit, the Sierra Leone government including the military sector will also have the opportunity to participate in discussions with fishing community stakeholders about “the impact of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing”.
The U.S. Ambassador, David Reimer, in the press statement noted that: “cooperation on maritime security ensures not only safer and more secure oceans, but also helps safeguard Sierra Leone’s endangered marine biospheres, necessary for food security and the protection of the environment for future generations.”
The Commanding Officer of Mohawk, Andrew Pate, stated that one of their primary objectives during this deployment is to enhance partner nations’ capacity to operate effectively in the maritime domain and promote targeted, effective, intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
In March, Sierra Leone participated in exercise Obangame Express 2022, the largest annual maritime security exercise in West Africa. “These types of exercises strengthen partnerships and allow countries to work more closely on transnational maritime challenges,” the US Embassy statement reads.
The statement added: “The U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent. These waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.”
The U.S coastguardsmen also conducted Tactical First Aid training for navy personnel in the Sierra Leone Maritime wing. The training according to the U.S embassy officials is based on the United States Military guidelines for trauma life support, designed to reduce preventable deaths in emergency situations.
