Maritime Piracy: "Africa Must Develop Its Own Security Architecture"
GATHERED on Thursday, June 25, around Admiral Bernard Rogel, Chief of Staff of the French Navy in Brest, where the operational authority of the Navy is based, several senior military officials from Africa and Europe, taking part in a seminar to reflect on the problem of piracy in connection with illicit activities. The phenomenon has assumed alarming rates in the Gulf of Guinea in recent years.
The Heads of Maritime Staff / Picture (CD)
The seminar, chaired by the French admiral, is part of the overall strategy to fight against piracy and illegal activities that have multiplied in recent years."If developed over the years of piracy and illegal activities," said Admiral Bernard Rogel, Chief of Staff of the French Navy.
Africa must build its own security architecture
This meeting is an appropriate framework to exchange and discuss in order to implement responses to security risks in the Gulf of Guinea. Admiral Bernard Rogel urged African countries to work towards the establishment of a security architecture that is their own.
Previously, the Gulf of Aden was the nest of sea piracy, but since the international forces were deployed massively, the phenomenon has relocated to the coastal zone, from Senegal to Angola, which became a centre of attraction of organized crime and traffickers of all kinds.
In the past the African level, national, bilateral and regional initiatives have been advocated to curb this phenomenon is causing huge losses to coastal States. The French admiral noted a loss of $350 million due to piracy and illegal trafficking to these States. The efforts of the African Union to diminish this threat are struggling to operationalize.
The French Admiral also wanted to remind participants of the need of cooperation between States in facing the scourge. He said the African coast have become real weapons trafficking areas, prohibited drugs and other activities within the crime scene. Also, he says, between 20 and 40 tons of cocaine destined for Europe were shipped from these coastal countries.
Source: Afrik.com {French Languauge]
Subscribe to our newsletter. Receive a weekly round-up of all piracy-related & maritime situational awareness news.
OCEANUSLive.org
Information, Security, Safety; Shared
Submitted by Team@oceanuslive.org