Operation Guinex III seeks to promote maritime security in Brazil’s strategic environment
By First Lieutenant (T) MÔNICA BRAGA – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Brazilian Navy (MB, per its Portuguese acronym) frigate “Liberal” left the Rio de Janeiro Naval Base on Sunday morning (06) to begin the 3rd edition of Operation Guinex. Scheduled to take place until October 14th, the exercise aims to increase MB’s participation in the Gulf of Guinea, on the west coast of Africa, promoting interoperability between naval forces and coast guards in the region, as well as raising the level of training of the resources involved.
In addition to the “Liberal,” MB will send a Combat Diver Detachment and a “Esquilo” aircraft to the operation. During the period, joint exercises are planned, in port and at sea, with the navies and coast guards of countries such as Cape Verde, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal. The navies of Spain, the United States of America, Portugal and the United Kingdom are also expected to participate. Boarding techniques, visiting and inspecting other ships, fast vessel maneuvers, transit under asymmetric threats, and special operations techniques are among the planned training.
The operation contributes to stabilizing the maritime environment and protecting Brazil’s interests in the Gulf of Guinea. “Guinex operations, which have been taking place since 2021, aim to strengthen Brazil’s bonds of trust with countries along the West African coast, consolidating MB’s presence as a strategic partner in the region, and contributing to strengthening the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone Treaty (ZOPACAS, in Portuguese),” said Task Group (GT, in Portuguese) and 2nd Fleet Division Commander Rear Admiral André Luiz de Andrade Felix.
Civic and social actions are also planned in foreign and national ports, delivery of donations to the local population, and presentation of products from the Brazilian Defense Industrial Base, with the aim of fostering possible trade relations with Brazil. To this end, the frigate “Liberal” should visit the ports of Natal (RN), São Tomé (São Tomé and Príncipe), Kribi (Cameroon), Lagos (Nigeria), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Dakar (Senegal) and Mindelo (Cape Verde).
Gulf of GuineaThe Gulf of Guinea is part of Brazil’s strategic environment. Its proximity to the national territory and the fact that the region is one of the international trade corridors increase its importance for Brazil. The MB’s presence in the Gulf represents an important contribution to strengthening regional cooperation and developing more effective maritime security policies, especially considering that the area has been the scene of numerous cases of piracy in recent years.
Through operations such as Guinex, MB has sought to ensure the safety and security of Brazil’s maritime borders, acting proactively to prevent and combat threats that could jeopardize activities related to the use of the sea.
Navy News Agency – Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias