Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia and AFM Commander Jeffrey Curmi returned from Spain where they attended a 5+5 defence exercise codenamed Seaborder 14.

The exercise coincides with the 10th anniversary of the 5+5 initiative and was coordinated by the Spanish Presidency.

It took place on Thursday off the coast of Malaga in Spain and saw several Mediterranean countries participate in tactical evolutions including maritime law enforcement, medical evacuation, ship boarding procedures and ship to ship communications.

Present for the final exercise were defence ministers and high ranking military officials.

This exercise was aimed to help standardise procedures and improve the naval abilities of the participating countries. It also presented an opportunity for high level dialogue between member states.

The 5+5 dialogue was launched by France in 1983 but took shape in July 1990.

The aim was to promote cooperation between the countries bordering the western Mediterranean, including France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Malta, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia joined later.

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