US, West African Forces to Tackle Piracy and Illegal Fishing

The U.S. military conducted its first ever maritime exercise with West African forces to help them tackle piracy, illegal and unauthorized fishing in the regions waters.  Around 350 troops took part in the drills including servicemen from Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea on March 11.   According to the U.N. Security Council, the area has become a global piracy hotspot in recent years although cases have dropped since 2021.