Rear Adm. George Ballance, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (USNAVSO)/U.S. 4th Fleet, welcomed members of the Colombian Navy to Naval Station Mayport in Mayport, Florida, for the annual U.S. Navy and Colombian Navy Operational Naval Committee (ONC) conference, May 20 - 21.

During the ONC conference, participants engaged in face-to-face discussions regarding their involvement in various exercises and theater security cooperation events for the upcoming year.

"As we look ahead to the UNITAS series of exercises 2015 and other combined maritime force engagements, the Columbian Navy's participation in these exercises and events will strengthen the lines of communication and maintain the interoperability between our two navies," said Ballance.

ONC Colombia resulted in a memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed this year by Ballance and Colombian Rear Adm. Mario German Rodrigues Viera, commander, Eastern Naval Force of the Republic of Colombia. The MOU outlines U.S. and Colombia's interactions for the coming year.

Colombia and the U.S. have a strong partnership, evidenced through their focus on maritime security and enhanced through joint exercises and events. Cooperation and training events in the past have included PANAMAX and UNITAS series of exercises. These exchanges resulted from work done at previous ONC meetings.

ONCs provide a platform for the U.S. Navy to engage with partner nations and identify efforts that will enhance relationships and mutually beneficial goals. The agreements they produce and engagements they lead to directly support the U.S. Navy's new maritime strategy, which emphasizes cooperative relationships with international partners.

USNAVSO and U.S. 4th Fleet support U.S. Southern Command's joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

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