The Beninese and French navies conducted several joint exercises, including a sea visit exercise conducted by the Pendjari on the PHM Ducuing, which played the role of suspect vessel.
The Maritime Prefect and the Chief of Staff of the Beninese Navy, accompanied by twelve leading maritime actors in Benin, attended these various operational maneuvers aboard the PHM Ducuing. It was an opportunity for them to discover the complementary know-how of partner navies that make it possible to respond to common maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea. As such, the French patrol boat was able to demonstrate its on-board drone and its added value in the context of maritime surveillance missions.
This cooperation action with the Beninese partner has strengthened our mutual knowledge and our ability to act together in the fight against maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
Since 1990, one to two French vessels supported by a maritime patrol aircraft have been deployed in the Gulf of Guinea almost permanently as part of Operation CORYMBE. By strengthening the capacities of coastal navies, France participates in the development of the security architecture resulting from the Yaoundé process. Operation CORYMBE completes the French system in West Africa by participating in the maritime component of the operational cooperation implemented by the presence forces. Moreover, this deployment is in line with the concept of coordinated maritime presence supported by the European Union.