Gulf of Guinea naval chiefs seek effective legal framework for maritime law enforcement Gulf of Guinea naval chiefs seek effective legal framework for maritime law enforcement
  From: Diana-Okon Effiong, Calabar. Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Wednesday rose from a conference in Calabar... Gulf of Guinea naval chiefs seek effective legal framework for maritime law enforcement

 

NavyFrom: Diana-Okon Effiong, Calabar.

Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Wednesday rose from a conference in Calabar and resolved to institute effective legal regime for maritime law enforcement.
Their resolve was stated in a communiqué at the end of the first Gulf of Guinea Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Conference (RMACC) at the Tinapa Lakeside hotel.
The Communiqué also called for collaboration for development of capability for effective response and capacity for maritime domain awareness coverage within individual and common sea areas of member GoG states.
The communiqué was read on their behalf by Rear-Adm. Raphael Osondu, the Director of Plans, Naval headquarters, Abuja, at the end of three-day conference.
 It also sought for the establishment and activation of a common maritime information sharing mechanism through the establishment of Inter-Regional Coordination Centre by March 2014.
It also expressed the will to facilitate the designation and establishment of national focal points of contact for information sharing on maritime domain awareness in each member states of GoG by December 2013.
The naval chiefs and their representatives also stated the will to initiate the integration of maritime domain awareness efforts through equipment and procedural interoperability by December 2013.
The communiqué also resolved to establish centres of excellence on capacity building for maritime domain awareness in the Gulf of Guinea.
“in line with the foregoing, we the undersigned express the will to: develop basic capability for maritime domain awareness in each member state. Conduct combined annual exercises among navies and coast guards in the GoG.
“invite regional bodies, regional mechanisms, friendly navies and other stakeholders to partner with the GoG navies and coast guards in their desire to improve maritime domain awareness capacity and response capability among the GoG states
“Sustain the RMAC conference annually,’’ the communiqué stated.
The communiqué was endorsed by naval chiefs of Angola; Cameroun; Cote D’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Ghana; Gabon; Nigeria; Senegal; Togo; and Sao-Tome and Principe.
The theme of the conference was “Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Systems: A key for enhancing Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea’’.

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