The President of Mauritius, Kailash Purryag, visited the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), while it’s moored in Port Louis, Mauritius taking part in Exercise Cutlass Express 2015, Feb. 3.
During this exercise, U.S. and 12 East Africa partner nations simulated finding and combatting piracy as well as other illicit activity. It incorporated multilateral land, air and sea forces working together to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness and information sharing practices to increase capabilities of East African and Indian Ocean nations to counter sea-based illicit activity.
The exercise’s focus on fighting this activity that’s currently harming East Africa hit close to home for Mauritius and its president.
Purryag toured the vessel and met with exercise personnel, including Vice Adm. Tom Reck, U.S. Sixth Fleet vice commander. Reck believes that exercises like Cutlass Express are important because they foster relationships at all levels, and help forge and maintain a Global Network of Navies.
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Image: US Navy