The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla has pledged that in line with statutory rules, the Nigerian Navy will continue to conduct maritime security operations and champion the process for international collaboration and security initiatives for the security of the Gulf of Guinea region.
Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla stated this today, 27th November 2024 at the opening ceremony of 8th edition symposium of the Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of Gulf of Guinea with the theme "Maritime Security and Sustainable Development in the Gulf of Guinea" which resonates profoundly and reflects the essence of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
According to the Naval Chief, the Gulf of Guinea is a crucial shipping route for global trade and accounts for about 60 percent of Africa's shipping trade volume.
He added that the region of recent also has been discovered to hold enormous resources, particularly in the area of oil and gas.
"The sustainable development and exploitation of these resources, as well as their management, is therefore critical to Africa's growth and therefore critical to global economy. Of course, there is no gainsaying that Nigeria's economy depends largely on its oil resources, and that is similar to some other nations.
"Also, based on our shared expectations within the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria's maritime area of interest extends to the wider Gulf of Guinea. This is recognizing that we see a fluid environment where you cannot really perform and achieve anything alone without a shared commitment.
On the symposium, Vice Admiral Ogalla said it will underscore the importance of cooperation and highlight the need to strengthen and expand existing regional and international security initiatives, such as the European Union Coordinated Maritime Presence for the Gulf of Guinea and the Combined Maritime Task Force for the Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that the symposium is aimed to foster cooperation to the development of Africa's oceans, particularly the Gulf of Guinea nation's economy, within the secure maritime environment. This makes the theme for this year's symposium, which is Maritime Security and Sustainable Development in the Gulf of Guinea, act on time. Since inception, the Gulf of Guinea Symposium has tried to promote maritime security in the region.
The 2024 Symposium of Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of the Gulf of Guinea Nations will focused on three critical thematic areas. These are maritime domain awareness and information sharing, regional and international collaboration and cooperation for maritime security, as well as legal and regulatory framework for maritime security.