EU Navfor Commander Visits Kenyan Military and Civilian Authorities

During their recent 3-day port visit to Mombasa, the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, paid a visit to Kenyan military and civilian authorities. The following day he visited the Mombasa Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and Information Sharing Centre .

Rear Admiral Bléjean, who is embarked in the EU Naval Force flagship, FS Siroco, took the opportunity to meet the Kenyan Navy Commander, Major General Ngewa Mukala. He also met jointly with the EU representative in Tanzania, HE Lodewijk Briet, the French Ambassador, Rémi Maréchaux, the Mombasa County Governor, Hassan Joho and members of his government. The exchanges with local government permitted a better understanding of EU Naval Force missions and the EU’s comprehensive approach to strengthening stability in the region.

Rear Admiral Bléjean and his Force Command delegation visited the Regional MRCC and Information Sharing Centre of Mombasa to get an overview of the capabilities of this key regional asset. The centre monitor the Mercury network, which is critical for the safety at sea for seafarers in Kenya’s area of responsibility.

After viewing the facilities located in Dar Es Salaam’s new Port Authority control tower and meeting duty personnel, Rear Admiral Bléjean expressed to the Regional MRCC Director, Levis Malova, the great impression that he had received from the visit.

“Let me express my highest appreciation of the commitment you are performing. I salute your strong relationship with the other Information Sharing Centres in the area, like Dar Es Salaam or Saana through daily information exchanges, as well as your coordination work in all the southern Indian ocean for the others MRCC. Mutual understanding and information sharing are the key to success for counter-piracy actions in particular and safety at sea in general.”

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Press Release, February 25, 2014, 2014; Image: EU Navfor