IMO Applauds Alliance to Combat Piracy in Gulf of Guinea

IMO Applauds Alliance to Combat Piracy in Gulf of Guinea

EromoseleAbiodun

Following renewed effort by Nigeria and other governments to combat piracy and criminality in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Kitack Lim has said that the launch of a new collaborative framework to combat illicit maritime activities in the region will enhance the economy of the nations in the region.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum and Shared Awareness and De-confliction conference (GOG-MCF/SHADE), Lim said he was encouraged by its establishment of the forum.

GOG-MCF/SHADE aims to facilitate shared awareness and de-conflict activities in the region by linking all relevant stakeholders to advance and coordinate maritime security activities.

The GOG-MCF/SHADE is co-chaired by the Inter Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) Yaoundé and Nigeria.

According to the IMO boss, “The security situation in the Gulf of Guinea remains at the top of IMO’s and my personal priorities. International shipping is suffering. Piracy and armed robbery continue to damage the economy and trade. This situation has continued for several years, and these illegal acts must be stopped. Now is the time to make real progress.”

Lim acknowledged positive strides in the area of interagency cooperation and response on a regional and international level, highlighting anti-piracy legislation passed by Ghana, recent convictions of pirates in Togo, and Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project.

He said IMO will continue to support training and other capacity-building activities for Gulf of Guinea states as well as cooperative regional efforts, under the framework of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, an agreement signed by countries in the region who commit to working to repress piracy, armed robbery against ships and other illicit maritime activity.

At the request of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, IMO continues to work with the ICC Yaoundé, including supporting a series of regional expert level online meetings aiming to assess the implementation and sustainability of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and to provide recommendations to the three organization.

President MuhammaduBuhari had last month commissioned the Deep Blue Assets geared towards deterring all forms of illegalities on the nation’s territorial waters. This is in addition to the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act signed into law on June 24, 2019 to prosecute and punish criminalities.

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