As part of ongoing security cooperation between the United States and Mozambique, the US Government has provided a 10-metre coastal patrol boat to the Mozambican Navy.
In addition to the boat, Mozambican Navy officials will participate in training offered by the US-based manufacturer, SAFE Boat International. The high-speed boat is valued at $700 000 and is used for interdictions and maritime boarding operations.
“This vessel will enhance maritime security and enable naval forces to respond to increasingly complex challenges and threats,” US Ambassador to Mozambique Peter H Vrooman said during the handover ceremony in Maputo.
“We provide training and educational opportunities for Mozambican and American soldiers, sailors, and marines who choose to serve their country. Together we are working toward a stronger, more resilient Mozambique,” he said.
The donation is part of a broader set of security assistance programmes designed to enhance the resilience of the Mozambican Navy in fighting terrorism and transnational organised crime throughout Mozambique. These programmes include International Military Education and Training (IMET), three Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) programmes, a Maritime Maintenance and Logistics Adviser programme, and equipment donations designed to improve, maintain, and support the Navy in the execution of its defence strategy.
