The Operation Southern Readiness 2023 |15 July 2023

Guests witnessing a search scenario on board a seized vessel

Partners enhance collaboration to boost maritime security

The Operation Southern Readiness 2023, an international maritime security exercise that was taking place in the country since July 3, 2023, came to an end yesterday with a demonstration of lessons learned and presentation of certificates and mementos to local and foreign participants and organisers respectively.

The readiness programme is a joint operation exercise launched by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the largest multinational maritime partnership established to promote security, stability, and prosperity across millions of square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes. It is to provide capacity building to countries, especially in the Southern region, to fight illegal maritime activities at national and multi-international level.

The two-week training which involved theoretical and practical sessions in vessel boarding, search and rescue operation techniques, maritime law and navigation was undertaken by field expert from Canada, Australia, France, United Kingdom, India, Italy and the United States of America including experts from SCG and local based United Nation on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC).

The Operation Southern Readiness 2023 jointly conducted by the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) and CMF follows the success of the programme that was first held in our country in September 2022 hosted by SDF.

Apart from 160 representatives from SDF units – SCG, Special Forces (Tazar), the Seychelles Air Force – including representatives from the Seychelles Police and from the Attorney General’s Office, also taking part in the training were law enforcement representatives from Mauritius, Comoros, Tanzania and Kenya.

Our country was the 27th country to join the CMF in 2012, in a network of 38 member countries. Two SDF representatives are currently stationed at the CMF command centre based in Bahrain, for operation, gathering and sharing of information.

Before the official closing ceremony at the Defence Academy’s auditorium, SCG, Ile Perseverance, guests and other invitees among whom included the Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, the vice-chair of the Defence and Security Committee in the National Assembly, Hon. François Adelaide, deputy commander of the CMF, Commodore Philip Dennis, Commissioner of Police Ted Barbe, Chief of Staff of SDF, Colonel Jean Attala, Chief of Naval Health Division Rear Admiral Vicenzo Aglieri, Commander of CFT-154, Captain Olivier Herion and Joint Task Force and Task Force Command commander, Colonel John Summerfield, were able to witness a board, search and seizure exercise scenario by trainee participants from SCG and the Special Forces. The soldiers were successful after their second attempt in apprehending the vessel suspected of carrying narcotics in the bay of SCG, following resistance by crew members earlier.

Following the boarding exercise, the invitees were guided to the training room to witness some class exercises which was followed by the closing ceremony of the capacity building programme in the auditorium which started with a blessing by SDF Chaplain, Lieutenant Colonel Deacon Louis Agathine.

During the ceremony, the local and foreign participants were presented with their certificates for their dedication and hard work in the training while key individuals and organisations who were instrumental in the success of the programme, were presented with mementos served as tokens of gratitude for their invaluable contributions. There was also the screening of a video which summarised the two-week Operation Southern Readiness 2023 programme.

Addressing the gathering, Brigadier Rosette, who congratulated the local and foreign participants and expressed his gratitude towards partner organisations for the success of the programme, said the two-week training has shown an extraordinary display of collaboration, determination and shared commitment towards enhancing maritime security in our region.

“This collaboration stands as a testament to the power of partnerships and shared responsibility we hold in ensuring the safety and stability of our waters,” said the Brigadier, who noted that the training has surpassed expectations.

To end, Brigadier Rosette said that the relationships forged will undoubtedly serve as a platform for continued collaboration to navigate the complexities of the different maritime environment more effectively.

“The Seychelles Defence Forces, alongside our partners, shall stand at the forefront of safeguarding our waters and ensuring the security and prosperity of our nations,” Brigadier Rosette said.

Commodore Dennis (deputy commander of CMF) who earlier had giveng some insights and reflection on the capacity building programme, thanked the government, through SDF, for hosting for a second time the training programme and for facilitating the foreign trainees and training teams.

Highlighting the challenges we face, given the vast territorial waters that we have to patrol, the commodore noted that the training will help to reinforce the strength and resilience of mutual national democratic institutions and that of the security of the defence forces of the different member states, to support national security and stability across rules-based international order.

Commodore Dennis thanked everyone for their united effort towards the success of the second edition of the Southern Readiness programme.

The accompanying photographs show some highlights of the closing ceremony.

Text & photos by Patrick Joubert