From September 29th to October 1st, the Coast Guard Secretary and a representant of the ministry of Defence participated to the 'plenary meeting' of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF) in Halifax, Canada. The focus this year was on innovative technologies in the marine and maritime world. Also on the agenda: a visit to the Marine Center of Expertise (MEC) - Canada Border Services Agency', a training and information-exchange facility.
Earlier this year, in April, the 'expert meeting' already took place. The NACGF counts seven working groups regarding fishery, drug traficking, Search and Rescue (SAR), environmental response, etc. Delegates of both regional and federal coast guard partners participate in these working groups. In the fall usually follows a 'plenary meeting' of the heads of delagations of all participating countries.
The NACGF is a non-binding, voluntary forum between 20 member-states, founded in 2007. Its main purpose is to promote and facilitate cooperation and to exchange information on best practices and experiences. The Coast Guard secretariat is the national point of contact for the NACGF.