Commander Kenya Navy Major General Jimson Mutai led a Kenyan team to attend the 25th International Seapower Symposium (ISS) held at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States.
The ISS provides a forum for International Naval leaders to discuss maritime challenges and explore opportunities to strengthen maritime security cooperation and partnership.
The forum's deliberations provide opportunities for future voluntary regional and international collaboration in pursuing solutions to challenges facing the global network of maritime nations, officials said.
It also leads to numerous successful efforts to improve cooperation in counter-piracy, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
"The forum is also impactful in coordinating search and rescue at sea, planning and conducting coalition military operations and joint law enforcement to combat arms, drug and human trafficking, as well as fisheries and pollution," officials said.
Major General Mutai held one-on-one bilateral talks with Admiral Stuart Munsch, Commander of the United States Naval forces in Europe and Africa about enhancing the existing cooperation between the two navies.
They also discussed the need to expedite the Combined Maritime Forces membership in order to expand the scope for information sharing.
He also held bilateral talks with the Chief of Indian Naval Staff Admiral Hari Kumar on continued partnership and cooperation in combating maritime security threats within the Western Indian Ocean.
He later hosted his counterpart, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy for a discussion on revitalizing and enhancing collaboration between the two navies in the areas of training and mutual interests.
Secretary of the US Navy Carlos Del Toro, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and President of the US Naval War College Rear Admiral Pete Garvin among others attended the meeting.
Kenya's navy is among the most respected armies in the region. Kenya Navy is one of the units in the Kenya Defence Forces. The others include Kenya Army and Kenya Air Force.
Kenya Navy was founded in 1964 and has two major bases for its fleet with it being headquartered in Mtongwe Naval Base, Mombasa and Manda Bay in Lamu being the second naval base.
The navy also operates naval stations in Shimoni, Msambweni, Malindi and Kilifi.
The Kenya Navy fleet is organized into two fighting squadrons and a logistical support squadron, namely the Pioneer 66 Squadron, the 76 Squadron and the 86 Squadron all supported by a Special Operations Squadron, the Fleet Maintenance Unit and a newly formed elite Marine Ranger Regiment.