RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of the Interior launched the 9th International Training Course on Combating Insecurity in Maritime Domains on Sunday, at the Mohammed bin Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Jeddah.
Trainees from 17 countries including Bahrain, India, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cape Verde, Sri Lanka and Myanmar are taking part in the course.
The course aims to enhance maritime security capabilities and skills, as well as instruct trainees in tactical approaches and on how to cooperate in joint exercises with other national border forces.
Experts and instructors from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Interpol and the Saudi Border Guard will also participate.
Director General of the Saudi Arabian Border Guard Vice Admiral Awwad Eid Al-Balawi welcomed the participants to the Kingdom, wishing them a pleasant stay and success in their training. He added that the course would be the first of three events this year, with a program on maritime crime information sharing and a further course on maritime border security scheduled for April and June respectively.
Al-Balawi also thanked the ministry for organizing the course, and the IMO and Interpol for their cooperation.
The IMO’s representative at the launch, Kiruja Micheni, expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for hosting the event, and for its security efforts in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
He also congratulated the Saudi Border Guard on the quality of its new state-of-the-art Jeddah Maritime Information Sharing Center.
MoUs signed
The General Directorate of Border Guard signed two memorandums of understanding with the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and Bisha University in the areas of education, training, scientific research and community service.
Vice Admiral Al-Balawi, Naif Arab University for Security Sciences President Dr. Abdul Majid Abdullah Al-Bunyan and Bisha University Director Dr. Ahmed Hamed attended the signing ceremony.
Border Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Misfer Ghannam Al-Quraini said the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and Bisha University aim to carry out studies in the field of border security.
Vice Admiral Al-Balawi also oversaw the launch of the Jeddah Maritime Information Sharing Center at Prince Mohammed bin Naif Naval Base in Jeddah.
The center will work around the clock in collecting, classifying and analyzing information and data to support operations and decision-making and will share the information with local, regional and international agencies.
The Border Guard director general also inspected the latest systems and equipment at the center.
Vice Admiral Al-Balawai also visited the headquarters of the Special Maritime Border Security Force and was briefed about the progress of the training programs for the force and some field applications aimed at raining the readiness of the force.
