By Sumaila Ogbaje
No fewer than 30 Heads of Navies and Coastguards of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), have arrived Abuja for the 8th edition Symposium on maritime environment being hosted by the Nigerian Navy.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, disclosed this on Tuesday night, during Ice Breaker event to welcome the participating naval and coastguard chiefs at Transcorp Hilton.
The symposium with the theme “Maritime Security and Sustainable Development in the Gulf of Guinea”, is hosted in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the French Navy.
In his remarks, Ogalla said the objective of the symposium was to discuss issues that affect maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea being a strategic sea route.
He said the region also hosted a lot of resources, particularly oil and gas resources.
According to him, it behoves on the navies and coastguards of the GoG to ensure that they provide the enabling environment by providing the security environment necessary for businesses to thrive.
“There are more than 30 countries that are here already and I believe that other partners, representatives of other international organisations are still being expected.
“Collaboration is key to addressing any threats in the maritime environment because the ocean is a very fluid environment where there are no boundaries for fishes and ocean currents.
“So the only way we can address security threats is to collaborate on an international basis, on a regional basis, to be able to tackle them,’’ he said.
The Ambassador Designate of the European Union (EU), Gautier Mignot, said the event was organised to look at the kind of support that they could garner to tackle insecurity in the region.
Mignot congratulated and appreciated Vice Adm. Ogalla and the Nigerian Navy for organising the event with great attendance from countries from the GoG and European countries.
He said it was key to support the African strategy known as the “Yaoundé Architecture for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea’’.
“Our own European strategy has been adjusted and aligned to support this strategy, because Of international cooperation between the coastal countries.
`With the support of the EU and its member states has enabled them to achieve very good results, especially to decrease piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, like fishing, trafficking and crimes against the environment.
On his part, the Chief of the French Navy, Adm. Nicolas Vaujour, said the French navy had been working with its partners to implement and reinforce maritime security in the area.
Vaujour said the French navy had also conducted exercises with Nigerian navy to be able to connect together, adding that had helped them to share information and the way to find solutions.
The Chief of Staff of Gabonese National Navy, Rear Adm. Bekale Hubert, said it was a priority for all countries around the GoG to be united and secure the region.
He called for pooling forces and sharing of information to strengthen the fight against maritime crime. (NAN)
