U.S. and Ghana officials broke ground for the National Marine Police Training Academy Tuesday in the city of Anyinase, on Ghana's southwest coast.

The U.S. embassy statement says the U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, coordinated the academy with the U.S. Force Protection Detachment in Ghana and the Ghana police service to help law enforcement officials hone their skills to protect Ghana's coastline.

It says the unit will target illicit activities at sea, such as piracy, illegal arms, narcotics and human trafficking.

The AFRICOM Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Division has backed other similar projects throughout Ghana and Africa.