Maritime Search and Rescue Workshop Concludes

A three-day workshop on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) which started on 27th August came to a successful close on 29th August 2018 in the Victoria, Seychelles. The workshop aimed at handing over the responsibility of running the

Search and Rescue course (SAR), with its contents, documents, knowledge and skills, from Nordic instructors to EASF Member States (MS) regional instructors.

The handover workshop planned to equip EASF regional instructors and course's coordinators/logistic managers with the information needed to enable them plan and execute the course on their own. This course has been run by Nordic instructors since 2014 playing a significant role in EASF's capacity building. Since then, more than 200 officers from EASF MS have been trained.

On behalf of the EASF Director Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bouh, the EASF Deputy Chief of Staff CDR (p.s.c) Ali Tibeag Mohamed Nassir, who is also the Head of the Maritime Planning Cell thanked the Friends of EASF, supporters, facilitators and instructors from Nordic countries for their support in EASF's capacity building efforts. Officers trained so far in this area have been adequately prepared to contribute effectively to the safety and security within the region.

Present during the workshop included the Danish Technical Advisor to EASF Col. Claus Pedersen, the Norwegian  Advisor to the EASF, CDR Lars Ivar Fjell, the lead facilitator CDR Stefan Sternfoss from Denmark, other facilitators and EASF Staff.

Before the end of the workshop, the participants visited the Maritime Regional Coordination Operational Centre (RCOC) in Victoria City and had a brief presentation about the role of the centre in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Sustainable Blue Economy and Maritime Information Sharing.  

The workshop has been fully funded by the Nordic Advisory and Coordination Staff (NACS) based at the EASF Secretariat in Karen, Nairobi.

The EASF Deputy Chief of Staff CDR (p.s.c) Ali Tibeag Mohamed Nassir (left) and the Lead Facilitator CDR Stefan Sternfoss (right) at the Closure of the Workshop