By HAN News Desk
MOGADISHU — Somalia is set to participate in a large-scale multinational naval exercise alongside 18 other countries in a move aimed at enhancing maritime security, strengthening regional cooperation and improving joint naval readiness across the Indian Ocean and adjacent waters.
Countries taking part in the exercise include Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Georgia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Tunisia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Somali officials said the drills will focus on coordinated responses to shared maritime threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, human trafficking, smuggling and other transnational crimes that have long affected sea routes in the region. The exercise is also expected to improve interoperability between navies, strengthen information-sharing mechanisms and enhance search-and-rescue and disaster-response capabilities.
For Somalia, which has the longest coastline on mainland Africa, participation in the exercise is seen as a significant step toward rebuilding and professionalizing its naval forces after decades of conflict and limited maritime enforcement capacity. Somali authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about illegal fishing and unauthorized activities in Somali waters, which they say undermine both national security and economic stability.
Security analysts note that multinational naval exercises in the region have become increasingly important as countries seek to safeguard vital shipping lanes that connect Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The waters off the Horn of Africa are among the world’s busiest maritime corridors, carrying a substantial portion of global trade.
Somali officials emphasized that the exercise will also serve as a platform for practical training, technical exchange and strengthening diplomatic and military ties with partner nations.
Further details regarding the timing, host country and specific operational scenarios of the exercise have not yet been publicly disclosed.
