Commander Kenya Navy, Major General Jimson Mutai attended the 25th International Seapower Symposium (ISS) held from 19 to 22 September 2023 at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States.
The ISS provided a forum for International Naval leaders to discuss maritime challenges and explore opportunities to strengthen maritime security cooperation and partnership.
The forum’s deliberations provide opportunities for future voluntary regional and international collaboration in pursuing solutions to challenges facing the global network of maritime nations.
It also leads to numerous successful efforts to improve cooperation in counter-piracy, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, coordinating search and rescue at sea, planning and conducting coalition military operations and joint law enforcement to combat arms, drug and human trafficking, as well as fisheries and pollution.
Commander Kenya Navy appreciated the lectures delivered by the Secretary of the US Navy Carlos Del Toro, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, President of the US Naval War College Rear Admiral Pete Garvin, US Ambassador to Australia Her Excellency Caroline Kennedy and other international keynote speakers.
The message and concepts from the lectures resonated with the maritime domain challenges and presented prospective solutions worth replicating.
In addition, Commander Kenya Navy held one-on-one bilateral talks with Admiral Stuart Munsch, Commander of the Unites States Naval forces Europe and Africa about enhancing the existing cooperation between the two navies and the need to expedite the Combined Maritime Forces membership in order to expand the scope for information sharing.
Commander Kenya Navy commended the admiral for the constant assistance provided by the United States to the Kenya Navy noting that gaps in other maritime domains still demand support and cooperation.
Commander Kenya Navy also held bilateral talks with the Chief of Indian Naval Staff Admiral Hari Kumar on continued partnership and cooperation in combating maritime security threats within the Western Indian Ocean.
Later, Commander Kenya Navy hosted his counterpart, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South Africa Navy for a candid discussion on revitalizing and enhancing collaboration between the two navies in the areas of training and mutual interests. Vice admiral Lobese emphasized the importance of collaborating in maritime domain awareness, port visits and joint exercises with other African countries.
Commander Kenya Navy praised the Vice Admiral’s views stating that maritime security concerns are global in nature and with cooperation African Navies will be able to achieve more.
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