Two Royal Navy officers from the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) headquarters in Bahrain arrived in Seychelles last week to conduct training on the legal aspects of combatting illicit maritime crime.
The training was funded by the UK and is part of the CMF regional capacity-building programme.
Commanders Verity Fane-Baily and Matthew Little’s audience consisted of members of the Regional Maritime Affairs Division, the Regional Coordination of Operations Centre, the National Information Sharing Coordination Centre and officers from the Coastguard.
Over a two-day period, they discussed the legal complexities of conducting maritime interdiction operations, methods of how to identify illegal activity, along with an analysis of regional trends.
The training broadened the participants’ knowledge of the legal considerations when planning maritime operations, and how to effectively incorporate intelligence resources to maximise the chances of success.
It also strengthened ties with the CMF, who have a Seychellois liaison officer, Lieutenant Samuel Cecile, on their staff.
CMF focuses on combatting counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, suppressing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and engaging with regional and other partners to strengthen relevant capabilities, in order to improve overall security and stability, and promoting a safe maritime environment free from illicit non-state actors.
Major Renny Bulmer, the UK’s International liaison officer, stated:
“This has been a great opportunity to benefit from the experience and knowledge of two UK officers currently working on maritime operations as part of the CMF. Participants have been able to broaden their understanding of the legal aspects of maritime law, and how it applies when combatting various types of illicit activity. They have also been shown how to use various resources to gather and process intelligence that can then be used to enhance the probability of success when conducting maritime interdiction operations. It is hoped that CMF personnel will return in September as part of their ongoing capacity-building programme in the region.”
Source: Seychelles Nation
