Gulf of Guinea : NIMASA, Navy, ICC collaborate on Shared Awareness, De-Confliction

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Gulf of Guinea : NIMASA, Navy, ICC collaborate on Shared Awareness, De-Confliction

* Collaboration key to sustainable maritime security – Dr Jamoh

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Navy and the Inter-regional Coordination Centre, ICC, have highlighted the need for continuous collaboration with regional and international stakeholders to ensure sustainability of security in the Gulf of Guinea.

This was the thrust of presentations at the 5thplenary of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum/Shared Awareness and De-confliction meeting, which has ‘Enduring and Sustainable Security’ as its theme.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, noted that collaboration and cooperation are central in attaining enhanced security in the Gulf of Guinea in recent times. He said that NIMASA is committed to providing all logistics required for members of the SHADE/FORUM to thrive and maintain the momentum.

Jamoh said :
“Two years ago, we connected virtually with our unhappy stakeholders, with challenges of piracy attaining its peak in the Gulf of Guinea between 2019 and 2020. Today, even the International Maritime Bureau, IMB, has affirmed that piracy is at a 28-year all-time low in the region.

In his words: “The SHADE must be nurtured to remain a force for good. As members we owe a collective duty to this forum to keep its dialogue robust and guard it from slipping into complacency as to become a toothless bulldog. Our SHADE must be strengthened through cooperation, coordination, collaboration and communication. Security success can never be by solitary achievements.”

Also speaking at the forum, the Chief of Naval staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, noted that the successes recorded in the Gulf of Guinea were due to collaboration, information and data sharing amongst countries in the Gulf of Guinea.

Gambo, who was represented by the Chief of Planning, Nigerian Navy Headquarters, Real Admiral Saidu Garba emphasized the need to sustain the momentum through institutional capacity building for maritime governance.

He emphasised :
“There is still room for greater collaboration in areas of Information sharing, increased presence of Naval assets and strengthened legal frameworks among the GoG nations, as well as international partners, which are all key to ensuring success of the Yaounde Architecture.

“The safety and security of shipping in the GoG is a vital enabler in the recovery process of global economy and trade downturn suffered due to COVID 19 pandemic”.

Other stakeholders present at the 5th plenary include Director, Inter-regional Coordination Centre (ICC-Yaounde), Admiral Narciso Fastudo, Co-chair, SHADE – GoG/Maritime Collaboration Forum, RearAdmiral Solomon Agada, Special Advisor to the Chairs of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum, Simon Church.

The goal of the forum is to implement effective operational counter-piracy cooperation amongst regional and international Navies, as well as the shipping industry and reporting centres of the Yaounde Code of Conduct (ICC) for Regional Strategy for Maritime Safety and Security in Central and West Africa region.

From left: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh; representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admira l Saidu Garba and Secretary General, Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu at a press conference during the 5th Plenary Session of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum/Shared Awareness and Deconfliction in Abuja