Another Maritime Cell Highlight for June 2016

EASF successfully organized and rolled out a two-week Search and Rescue course for its Maritime Component in Rwanda in June 2016. The aim of the course was to enhance the capacity of the military personnel under maritime surveillance and increase performance.   

While opening the course, Brig. Gen Ferdinand Safari, the Head of Planning at Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence stressed the importance of mutual support and experience-sharing in addressing the challenges of emergency preparedness. Optimal preparation reflects itself in an officer's ability to react to a variety of challenging situations in the best possible manner, he said.

Lt. Col. S.K Saeed, the Head of Maritime Cell at East African Standby Force, said in most cases of search and rescue, the surveillance officers often operate in an uncertainty, receive incomplete or incorrect information. A good example is a "Mayday" call which is often received without the precise location of a boater, a ferry or fishermen among other water users who may be in trouble. "Mayday" is an international distress call in voice communications signalling a life-threatening emergency in marine and aviation fields.

Lt. Col. Saeed said that cooperation among EASF Member States in this field is of material importance. 'Member States need to strengthen Search and Rescue operations through continuous development, improvements and standardization in line with international norms and procedures.'

The course drew 26 participants from 10 countries of the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) and was supported by the Government of Norway, one of the Nordic countries supporting EASF.