Spain and the Democratic Republic of Congo strengthen bilateral relations at sea

• Before arriving in Luanda, the BAM “Rayo” carried out a series of exercises at sea with naval units from the African country's navy

Within the framework of the European Union's Coordinated Maritime Presence (CMP) initiative in the Gulf of Guinea, the Maritime Action Ship (BAM) “Rayo” has carried out a cooperation activity with units of the Democratic Republic of Congo Navy.

It took place in waters near the town of Banana. This joint training day began with a coordination meeting between officers from the Spanish ship and Congolese military personnel, during which they exchanged points of view on operational procedures, maritime safety and marine environment protection. This meeting served to strengthen interoperability and mutual trust, as well as laying the foundations for future defence cooperation between the two countries.

Afterwards, a series of joint training exercises were conducted at sea, in which the Rayo simulated being a ship attacked by pirates, a merchant vessel suspected of illegally transporting weapons, and finally, a ship that had polluted the marine environment. In response, the Congolese Navy carried out the boarding and inspection phase, putting into practice her maritime control and response procedures for potentially illegal activities.

Following this joint exercise, the BAM “Rayo” has arrived in Luanda (Angola). There, in addition to operational activities with the Angolan Navy, it will participate in events within the framework of defence diplomacy .  Coordinated Maritime Presences EU This European Union initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between European countries and regional partners to improve maritime security and stability in the region's maritime areas, where there are many interests shared with Europe and Spain, from trade and supply issues to the extensive presence of the fishing  sector.

In this context, the deployment of the BAM ‘Rayo’ contributes to strengthening regional maritime capabilities and improving interoperability between participating naval forces, as well as reinforcing Spain and the European Union's commitment to the Gulf of Guinea, in addition to contributing to the protection of African waters.