French Ambassador Commends Nigerian Navy on Curbing Maritime Insecurity in Gulf of Guinea

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Her Excellency, Mrs Emmanuelle Blatmann recently scored Nigerian Navy (NN) high in curbing maritime insecurity, especially piracy in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

According to the Western Naval Command (WNC), Command Information Officer, Commander Edward Yeibo, the Ambassador gave the commendation when she paid a courtesy call on the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) WNC, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa.

In her speech, she stated that the visit was an upshot of a recent bilateral agreement between the French President, Emmanuel Macron and President Muhammadu Buhari, to increase defence, particularly naval cooperation in the fight against piracy and other forms of criminality in Nigeria Maritime Domain.

She also said the French President considers the purchase of OCEA ships from France as a trust that the Nigerian government repose in her country.

This was just as she extolled the increased cooperation between Nigeria and France since 2014 and ssured that her tenure will work towards improving same.

Blatmann, who was a former ambassador to Sudan, further stated that her visit was to acknowledge the relationship between both countries as well as appreciate the cooperation.

Recalling that President Buhari recently called on the international community to be more active and aggressive in maritime security response, she disclosed that she is looking forward to more collaboration through the EU’s Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Strategy and Action Plan when France will be in full control in 2022.

Given that the visit was her first engagement with the Nigerian Defence since she assumed office in October 2021, she asserted that “I am particularly excited for the opportunity to visit NNS LANA which is deployed for good use by the Nigerian Navy”.

In his response, the FOC reiterated that Nigeria and France have had a long existing human as well as trade relationships and collaboration, adding that the visit is an attestation of the all important relationship.

Rear Admiral Gbassa also expressed his gratitude to the French government for her continuous support to Nigerian Navy’s fleet recapitalisation and reorganisation efforts, training of personnel and joint naval exercises like Ex Grand African Nemo in the Gulf of Guinea.

Stressing that he will be looking forward to increased partnership when France takes over EU’s leadership in 2022, the FOC added that “it is heartwarming that the French Government is committed to Nigeria’s recapitalisation and training efforts”.

Meanwhile, when the ambassador was onboard Nigerian Navy Ship LANA (A499), which arrived Nigeria from France in May 2021, was requested to facilitate additional billets for technical training for NN personnel with the ship builder, OCEA and International Hydrographic Organisation’s accredited categories A & B training in Hydrography, Oceanography and Cartography as well as accreditation of Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School, Port Harcourt.

On this, the FOC asserted that since the arrival of the Nigerian Navy Ship LANA, the service has deployed her in various missions such as oceanographic and hydrographic survey, search and rescue as well as patrols.

Other missions which the ship conducted successfully include; ship to ship towing, helicopter winching operations as well as delivering assistance and supplies to other ships.

He also acknowledged the support by France to the Yaounde Code of Conduct especially the Yaounde Security Architecture for Regional Information Sharing System.

The ambassador was accompanied by the French Consul General, Madam Laurence Montmayrant; Defence Attache, Colonel Guillaume Dujon; and the Naval Advisor, Commander William Tostern.