ECOWAS, ECCAS move to ensure maritime safety and security

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) plan collaboration to ensure maritime safety and security in the sub-regions.

ECOWAS and ECCAS in a tele-conference with selected journalists in Lagos on Friday said that time had come when issues of maritime safety and security in the region were given urgent attention.

Officials of both organisations said member countries had agreed to work together to ensure safety and security, especially in the Gulf of Guinea.

The press briefing is coming a day after the two regional bodies ended a conference in Garmisch, Germany.

The conference was aimed at facilitating areas of cooperation between them to ensure maritime safety and security in member states.

ECCAS’s Coordinator, Regional Human Integration, Peace, Security and Stability, Mr Roger Ekomie, said member countries agreed to provide security against all forms of illegal human activities on the sea.

Collaboration objective

Ekomie said member states had over the years been faced with challenges of achieving safety and security on their coasts.

“A lot of illegal drug and child trafficking, as well as illegal fishing, have become the order of the day on the coast of member countries.

“Member countries of ECCAS, have therefore, resolved to collectively fight such illicit activities currently threatening maritime safety and security in the sub-region,’’ he said.

Call for maritime security policies

Head of ECOWAS Regional Security Division, Lt. Col. Abdourahmane Dieng, said the commission had concluded arrangements to ensure that member countries came up with policies for maritime security and protection.

Dieng noted that member states were faced with the problem of poor quality security mechanism that needed to be urgently overhauled.

He expressed optimism that the planned collective approach would go a long way in ensuring maritime safety and security in the regions.

NAN/Williams