MANAMA, Bahrain – The commander of the Pakistan-led combined task force responsible for anti-piracy efforts within Combined Maritime Forces conducted significant key leader engagements recently.

On March 19, Pakistan Navy Cmde. Sohail Azmie, commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, met with Ambassador Asako Okai, ambassador of Japan to Bahrain, at the Japanese Embassy here. They discussed ways the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) can best integrate their assets deployed in the CMF area of responsibility with CTF 151, particularly in the ongoing efforts to curb piracy and armed robbery.

Azmie and Okai both expressed their enduring commitment to maintaining peace in the region and highlighted the importance of collaboration between CMF nations to combat the piracy threats that still exist in the maritime.

Azmie also spoke with Mr. Kiruja Micheni, Head of Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCOC) Secretariat via video teleconference, March 24. The two explored avenues for cooperation between DCOC and CMF, as well as shared perspectives on anti-piracy efforts and the current state of piracy in both the DCOC’s area of responsibility and CMF’s operating area.

The Djibouti Code of Conduct is a regional maritime security agreement established in 2009 under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to combat piracy and armed robbery in the Western Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

On March 25, Azmie held a teleconference call with Rear Adm. Tsiriniaina Gabriel, Chief of Staff of the Madagascar Navy. Both leaders discussed how CTF 151 and the Malagasy Navy can collaborate on future operations. They also discussed perspectives on anti-piracy efforts.

Azmie shared his thoughts on information sharing in maritime security, specifically citing his interaction with the director of the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC), Malagasy Navy Capt. Ralaiarivony Alex, highlighting that exchange of information between RMIFC and Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) was imperative for the overall success of CMF’s counter-piracy efforts. RMIFC is an agency that collects and analyzes maritime traffic information in the region to create a recognized maritime picture.

Gabriel re-affirmed his navy’s commitment to continued cooperation and exchange of relevant information with
CTF-151 with the aim of ensuring the free flow of global maritime trade.

CTF 151 was established as a multinational task force in January 2009, and is one of five operational task forces under CMF. In conjunction with the EUNAVFOR, and together with independently deployed naval ships, CTF 151 helps to patrol the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor.

CMF headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 46 nations committed to upholding the international rules-based order at sea. It promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.