Oct. 4 – In order to protect merchant shipping from maritime piracy and illicit trafficking, cooperation between countries is essential. And the Africa Partnership Station (APS) has added another element to the stabilization program for the Horn of Africa thanks to a Navy mobile training team, stationed in Djibouti, which has concluded the training of 12 soldiers from the Marine Nationale Djiboutienne. The online Protocol Aps course began in 2008 under the auspices of the U.S. Navy and “is still standing today, having given valuable and tangible results,” said the Navy in a statement. “The purpose of the project – continues the statement – is to encourage the development of the countries in the African Region and make them autonomous in the field of navigation safety, in the control of illicit trafficking and the fight against piracy.” The project, led by Lieutenant Marco Chianella of the Commander in chief and Lieutenant Stefano Ungaro of the Marina San Marco Brigade, was developed through a series of lectures and practical exercises by the Navy military protection. At the end of the course, the commander of the Marine Nationale Djiboutienne – Colonel Abdourahaman Aden Cher – presented the diplomas of participation to the graduating military men in an official ceremony in the presence of representatives of the U.S. Navy and Aps staff. He also noted the effectiveness of all activities conducted during the training as well as the importance of the achieved results.
