Cameroon’s Navy is being mobilised to heighten the fight against maritime piracy, terrorism in the sea, all forms of trafficking and the looting of the country’s maritime resources. The Navy Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral N’gouah-N’Gally Guiillaume while receiving 2011 New Year wishes at the Navy Headquarters in Yaounde, on February 25, cited the challenges the force faces, particularly recurrent attacks by gunmen and pirates in the Bakassi Peninsular.

The Navy, the Chief of Staff said, must make use of training opportunities to acquire skills so as to act with precision. The key missions of Cameroon’s Navy, he reminded, are to protect and defend the country’s territorial waters in order to guarantee peace and security. In this way, they will effectively contribute to make Cameroon an emerging country by 2035. Maritime transport accounts for 90 percent of world trade; the Vice Admiral disclosed, adding that the same situation applies to Cameroon. N’gouah-N’Gally Guillaume prescribed seriousness, assiduity, courage, abnegation, discipline and respect of military rules for the Navy to succeed in its missions.

The Navy Chief of Staff in his speech reacted to the New Year wishes of the entire staff presented by the Sub-chief of the Navy Staff in charge of Operations, Djorwé Koskreo. He presented the participation of the Navy in peacekeeping operations at the national, sub-regional and international levels. He thanked government for training 547 soldiers of the Navy within the country in 2010 and hundreds of others abroad. He also expressed appreciation for the provision of equipment to facilitate work and presented the problems of the corps.