Liberia Concludes Operation Anouanze IV with Call for Stronger Regional Maritime Cooperation
Liberia has concluded the 2026 edition of Operation Anouanze IV, a regional maritime security exercise that brought together forces from Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire under the ECOWAS Maritime Strategy. The 3 day joint patrol, conducted from August 24 to 26 in Liberian waters, covered approximately 917 nautical miles without incident and climaxed with a closing ceremony hosted at the Freeport of Monrovia by the Ministry of National Defense and the Armed Forces of Liberia.
Setting the tone for the occasion, the Acting Commander of the Liberian Coast Guard hailed the exercise as a powerful demonstration of what nations can achieve together, noting that the patrols and information exchange have sharpened the capacity of participating forces to detect and respond to threats at sea. He commended the visiting crews, including GNS Anomotia of Ghana and the Ivorian delegation led by Contre Amiral Fadika, and thanked UNODC and ECOWAS for their sponsorship.
For his part, the Deputy Managing Director for Operations of the National Port Authority, Hon. Emmanuel Hulton, speaking on behalf of NPA management, lauded the organizers for their continued cooperation in keeping the waters around the Port safe and secure. “Safe and secure waters are essential to the effective operation of our ports and to the protection of the economic interests of Liberia,” he emphasized, reaffirming the NPA’s commitment to maritime safety, security, and regional cooperation.
Gracing the occasion were the Deputy Minister of Operations of the Ministry of National Defense, who served as Guest of Honor; Senator Cyrus Momo of Lofa County; the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia; and other senior officials, with gifts presented to the captains of the participating vessels in a fitting climax. In the final analysis, Operation Anouanze IV has once again underscored the value of regional solidarity in securing West Africa’s shared maritime domain for commerce, investment, and sustainable development.
Source : NPA
