President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has applauded the Nigerian Navy and the collaborative and supportive efforts of international partners in advancing maritime security initiatives and promoting sustainable development of the Gulf of Guinea.
President Tinubu gave this commendation in Abuja today, 27th November 2024 while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 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.
President Tinubu ably represented by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu commended the Nigerian Navy for its commitment to maritime security, saying “I pledge my administration’s continuous support for all other laudable objectives of the Nigerian Navy, as well as initiatives that will promote security within the Gulf of Guinea.”
The President who lauded the Nigerian Navy for its efforts in securing the Niger Delta and promoting maritime security in the region, noted that, “I acknowledge the lead role you are playing in the increase of crude oil production and security in the Niger Delta,” he said.
He stressed that this symposium aligns with the vision of Africa's Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050 and embodies key aspirations of Africa's Agenda 2060. Significantly, the symposium is coming at a time when most countries in the Gulf of Guinea are making efforts to enhance the enormous blue economy potentials that exist within this region.
"Indeed, it is worth reiterating that the wider Gulf of Guinea has become the main transit hub and facilitator for Africa's economic growth.
He affirmed that the region has vast oil and natural gas reserves supplying about 10% of global energy demand with significant quantities consumed in Europe, North America and Asia.
"The Gulf of Guinea is also a central shipping route for international trade and fishing with an average of about 1,500 tankers, cargo ships as well as fishing vessels transiting the region daily.
"Yet, it is imperative to recognize the untapped potentials within the emerging sectors of the Gulf of Guinea such as marine biotechnology, offshore renewable energy, deep sea mining and marine tourism.
According to President Tinubu, these sectors present unparalleled opportunities for advancing Nigeria's blue economies, generating employment and contributing to poverty alleviation within the region and Africa at large.
"Notwithstanding all these blue economic potentials within the Gulf of Guinea, the reality is that our maritime domain is confronted with various challenges including illegal fishing, piracy, smuggling and environmental degradation. These threats not only undermine the security and stability of our seas but also impede the realization of the full economic potentials of the region.
"It is therefore our collective responsibility to foster international cooperation to tackle these challenges and promote sustainable development of our maritime resources. Through shared responsibilities and concerted efforts, we can effectively combat illegal activities at sea, protect our maritime ecosystem and unlock the immense economic opportunities our oceans and waterways offer. This is why Nigeria continues to support collaborative initiatives such as the UNESCO Sea Architecture for the Gulf of Guinea." he said
The president announced to participants that the Nigeria government has also established the Ministry of Maritime and Blue Economy as well as the National Hydrographic Agency and all these initiatives are part of Nigeria's contribution to maritime security and sustainable development in the Gulf of Guinea.
He called on all distinguished participants to actively contribute to the discussion, form strategic partnerships and identify concrete actions that would catalyze positive change in maritime domain.
"As we embark on the collective endeavour, I am conscious of the imperative of global solidarity in addressing maritime security threats for sustainable development. By working together, particularly at the period of increased threats within the global waterways, we can strengthen our maritime governance, enhance maritime domain awareness and promote the laws of the sea.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla said the symposium 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.
Vice Admiral Ogalla 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.
He said 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.
"In line with our statutory rules, the Nigerian Navy continues to conduct maritime security operations and champion the process for international collaboration and security initiatives for the security of the region, that is the Gulf of Guinea.
In his introductory remarks, Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, France Naval Chief said every year, it's a unique opportunity to get together and discuss strategic maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea and he is also delighted to see so many chiefs of Gulf of Guinea navies here today, which shows the interest that everyone has in dialogue and exchange of ideas on such an important topic.
"This exceptional setting should enable us to move forward together and combine our efforts to strengthen the security architecture resulting from the process. Our role as head of navies and coastguards is fundamental.
He pointed out that the sea and all the issues linked to it is back on the geopolitical stage. Today, the sea is a powerful lever for global economy in terms of energy and food. Resource management, global monitoring are then key to ensure long-term and sustainable development.
But it is also a place of competition, tensions, and sometimes conflict. It is a place where terrorist threats, criminal action, piracy, illegal trafficking like illegal fishing or drugs, and pollution are on the increase simultaneously. But the union of our forces is effective.
The France Naval Chief noted that the strength of a navy today is not a number of assets, the skill of the crews, but it is also the number of partners you are able to have. "And partnerships need interoperability. Interoperability is a matter of connectivity."
He pledged that the French Navy will continue to stand by Nigerian Navy side. "I hope that this symposium will result in complete initiative and significant progress. I hope that our discussion will be fruitful, pragmatic, and confidence-building, with the security of the Gulf of Guinea as the ultimate goal."
Also in his welcome remarks, the Chief of Policy and Plan (Navy), Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abdullahi Dewu said the 2024 Symposium of Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of the Gulf of Guinea Nations will therefore focus 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. These are the main focus of this year's symposium.
SpyeTV News Abuja reports that for the enhancement of maritime security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea region there is need for countries to strengthen regional cooperation and governance by fostering multidimensional partnerships.
In 2015, the first edition of the symposium held in France, and focused on integrated surveillance of the maritime space. The second edition, which held in Senegal in 2017, discussed pollution and illegal fishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the importance of information sharing dominated the third edition in 2018 in Germany. In 2019, in Ghana, the fourth edition deliberated on anti-piracy operations, while the fifth edition focused on operationalization of the architecture, in 2021.
The sixth edition of this symposium, which held in 2022 in France also, emphasized the importance of training and capacity development, while the seventh edition, which is the last one, held in Togo and focused on the blue economy.
Over the years, the symposium has strengthened collaboration and coordination on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly since the introduction of the 2013 Yaoundé Code of Conduct. This symposium has always been a valuable tool for us to discuss issues that relate to how well we are implementing the recommendations of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct when it comes to collaboration between the coastal states.
Participants at the event were the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, representatives of the Chief of Army and the Nigerian Air Force, about 30 heads of navies and coastguards from GoG countries and international partners such as European Union and the French Navy among others.