A delegation from the General Directorate for International Relations and Strategy of the French Ministry of Armed Forces, led by Colonel Frédéric Guillou, paid a working visit to the ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone F on Thursday, 29 May 2026.
The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen strategic cooperation and deepen collaboration between France and regional maritime security institutions within the Gulf of Guinea. Discussions during the visit focused on enhancing maritime security, information sharing, capacity building, and coordinated responses to transnational maritime threats affecting the region.
In this context, Colonel Grégoire Madelin, French Defence Attaché to Ghana, accompanied the delegation and reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting regional initiatives aimed at promoting stability and security in West African maritime spaces.
The delegation was received by the leadership of the ECOWAS MMCC Zone F, where both parties exchanged views on current maritime security challenges, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal fishing, trafficking, and other transnational organized crimes within the Gulf of Guinea.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss future areas of cooperation, particularly in the areas of operational coordination, training, intelligence sharing, and strategic partnerships geared toward improving maritime domain awareness and strengthening regional maritime governance.
The visit further highlighted the importance of international collaboration and collective action in addressing evolving maritime threats and ensuring the safety and security of maritime trade routes within the ECOWAS region and beyond.