International maritime security conference being held in Ghana

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo will be the guest of honour at the second meeting of the African Maritime Forces Summit (AMFS), being held in Accra, Ghana, from Tuesday to Thursday inclusive. This edition of the AMFS is being co-hosted by the Ghana Navy, US Naval Forces Africa and US Marine Corps Forces Africa, and is being attended by government leaders and military chiefs from more than 40 countries.

Further, the previously separate Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium-Africa (NILS-A) has been incorporated into this AMFS, making them a single event. This is the third meeting of NILS-A. (Very few African navies have dedicated corps of marines, but many have light infantry-style units, if only for base security/force protection tasks. A number of African navies, including Ghana’s, do have their own special forces units.)

The AMFS involves a series of panels and discussions, focused on maritime security and collaboration. In addition to President Akufo-Addo, participants include Ghanaian Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu and US Africa Command head General Michael Langley. 

“These discussions and connections will improve interoperability across domains and continents, strengthening strategic-level relationships to help facilitate better regional cooperation when dealing with maritime threats,” explained the US State Department in its press release. The joint AMFS/NILS-A conference highlights the mutual commitment of the participating countries to jointly meeting regional challenges and seizing regional opportunities.

The first AMFS was held last year, in March, in Cabo Verde. The previous (that is, second) NILS-A had taken place in Dakar, Senegal, in 2022.

The Ghana Navy is focused on coastal, offshore but also riverine operations to uphold Ghana’s sovereignty, protect its maritime assets and ensure free and secure navigation through the country’s waters. It has a fleet centred on ten fast offshore patrol vessels, plus two offshore logistics support vessels, four coastal patrol vessels, and a number of inshore, harbour, and river patrol craft.