Cutlass Express Brings Senior Leadership Together

POINTE AUX PIMENTS, Mauritius -- Leadership from nations participating in exercise Cutlass Express came together for a four-day senior leaders seminar facilitated by the U.S. Naval War College in Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius, Feb. 4-7.

The seminar brought together senior leadership from military and maritime security organizations from east African and western Indian Ocean nations, and focused on building partnerships and enhancing stability in the region. Professors from the U.S. Naval War College facilitated the seminar and brought an academic perspective from one of the world's foremost institutions of higher learning and security matters.

Quotes:

"Africa is dynamic; it is growing in so many different ways to the global order and global economy that it is important that Africa begins now to think about how they will work together to not only create, but to maintain and sustain peace, security, and stability so that the economies in Africa have the opportunity to grow and increase prosperity -- which, in turn, often times reduces the levels of conflict. What we try to do is bring these countries together to talk about how to provide them that security that allows their countries to become more prosperous, and hopefully more peaceful." - Larry McCabe, professor of national security affairs, U.S. Naval War College

"This is an opportunity for us -- the senior officers of the region -- to come along to have some strategic thinking about our common challenges and how to tackle these challenges. So this is a very good opportunity for all the senior officers of the region." - Viswarnath Virahsawny, Mauritius Police Force superintendent, National coast guard

Quick facts:

Exercise Cutlass Express is one of three Africa-focused, regional Express-series exercises facilitated by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (CNE-CNA/C6F). The exercise falls under Africa Partnership Station, the umbrella program for the Express series exercises and other capacity-building initiatives throughout Africa.

The U.S. Naval War College facilitated the four-day senior leaders' seminar with exercise Cutlass Express participant nations to promote the development of national maritime strategies and the development of concepts and capabilities to operationalize maritime strategy.

Participating nations in Cutlass Express 2017 include Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Turkey, Canada, Uganda, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, and the United States. 

Exercise Cutlass Express 2017 tests participating nations' ability to respond to illicit trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, and search and rescue situations. Maritime operations centers (MOCs) of participating nations are exercising tracking and reporting procedures of simulating suspect vessels.