Olivier Bézier, CRIMARIO Training and Capacity Building component manager, organized and conducted a Command Post Exercise (CPX) focused in drug trafficking to the primary benefit of RMIFC in Antananarivo and RCOC in Mahé. A third player joined the exercise, Mauritius Coast Guard. From 10 to 13 June, the teams were given a drug case study in western Indian Ocean, they exchanged information and set up an action plan in response to the threat, by using IORIS as the primary communication tool.
A white cell from the CRIMARIO team was deployed inside the RMIFC during the exercise (Guillaume Remusat, from Azimut200) and the exercise was conducted from France.
The STARTEX message was sent at 07:00 (UTC) on June 11th by RMRCC Mombasa. The ENDEX message was sent at 14:02 UTC on June 12.
During these two “livex” days, the three teams acted as they would do on a real drug situation; they shared messages and reports on vessels, sort out a list of suspects and issued a coordinated action plan in response. Thursday 13 was the debrief day.
This kind of exercise will help the newly appointed centres to build their doctrine and SOPs. Each centre has a different but complementary role: RMIFC gathering and analysing data and RCOC coordinating the regional response.
In conclusion CRIMARIO supports the efforts of the two regional maritime centres and joint national centres to develop their full operational capacity.
This exercise was the first of a series. The next one will be conducted to the primary benefit of Mauritius, from 26 to 29 August with the participation of RMIFC and RCOC. This time, one white cell will be deployed in RCOC, and another at Mauritius CG.