Dakuku Peterside, director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says a collection of international maritime security stakeholders have confirmed their attendance at the Global Maritime Security Conference (GMSC) scheduled to start tomorrow Monday October 7 to Wednesday 9 in Abuja.
A statement signed by Isichei Osamgbi, head, Corporate Communications of NIMASA, said Peterside spoke in Abuja and decried the scourge of maritime insecurity, especially in the Gulf of Guinea.
He said there was an urgent need for international collaboration to tackle the menace, adding that the conference would come up with a formal declaration on solutions to maritime insecurity in the region.
“Dealing with issues of piracy and maritime crime requires inter-agency collaboration as well as regional collaboration between sister agencies in the participating countries,” he stated.
According to him, about eight Chiefs of Naval Staff and 16 representatives of Chiefs of Naval Staff from Africa as well as representatives of Chiefs of Naval Staff from Brazil, United States, and some European countries are expected at the conference.
“We have navies from 38 countries coming for the conference, including two Rear Admirals from the United States. The global naval community is well represented at the conference. We are also bringing the head of Liberian Coast Guard and heads of coastguards from 27 other countries. We have clearly confirmed over 500 foreigners coming for the conference and over 2,000 persons have registered for the Global Maritime Security Conference,” he said.
Peterside, who doubles as chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), said the event is going to be a tactical conference between developing countries, developed countries and high international partners to find solution to maritime security problem that is affecting global trade.
“Ninety percent of trade is conducted via seaborne trade, so whatever affects seaborne trade affects global commerce and has direct impact on development and quality of lives,” he said.
At the end of the conference, Peterside said, Nigeria is expected to come up with the Abuja Declaration on Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea, a document that will be an agreement that would bind all participants regarding what to be done to address the deteriorating situation.
The conference, which is being hosted by the Federal Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, will define the precise nature and scope of coordinated regional responses to maritime insecurity, evaluating the relevance of various external interventions, and moving towards policy harmonisation and regional cooperation.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
