The African Maritime Forces Summit (AMFS) and Naval Infantry Leadership Symposium (NILS) came to a close on Thursday 2 May, 2024, with a resounding call to enhance regional cooperation and combat maritime security threats.

The three-day event, co-hosted by the Ghana Navy in partnership with the US Naval Forces Africa, brought together senior naval officers and experts from over 40 countries from four continents, as well as international partners.

The summit and symposium focused on addressing emerging maritime security challenges, sharing best practices, and building capacity of African navies. Delegates discussed topics such as strategies for cooperation and models for combined operations, the spectrum of maritime action; at sea and in the littorals, assessing maritime security interventions; refining global partnerships and countering and prosecuting illicit maritime activity.

The Minister for Defence, Hon Dominic Nitiwul in his farewell address, praised the events for its focus on enhancing regional cooperation and capacity building to address maritime security challenges. He commended the Ghana Navy for excellently co-hosting the largest gathering of maritime giants and the US Naval and Marine Corps Forces Africa, for choosing Ghana as the destination for the summit.

In his closing remarks, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Yakubu said the events have been an avenue for networking, knowledge sharing, regional cooperation and capacity building. He emphasized the need for collective action to secure Africa's oceans. "We owe ourselves a duty of care to safeguard the oceans for posterity’s sake, and each country no matter how small can contribute its quota to this agenda," he added.

Rear Admiral Yakubu expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for making time to open the event. He also thanked the Commander, US Naval Forces Europe and Africa, Admiral Stuart B Munsch and the Commander, US Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, Major General Robert Sofge and all distinguished guests who attended the events. 

Admiral Munsch and Major General Sofge jointly commended the participants for their engagement and commitment to regional cooperation. They emphasized that the summit and symposium demonstrated a shared dedication to maritime security and stability in Africa.

The US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti in a televised address to the delegates said, the summit and symposium demonstrated the power of collaboration and the importance of working together to secure Africa’s oceans.

As the event concluded, participants departed with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to enhance collaboration and information sharing to address the complex maritime security challenges facing the continent.