Eunavfor Piracy and Armed Robbery of Ships Threaten Security in the Gulf of Guinea (Infographic)
Introducing the Secretary-General's report to the Security Council today, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, said that since April last year, piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Guinea on the West Bank of Africa have continued to decline; But it's too early to tell whether this trend will continue in the long term.
Poppy noted that this positive sign is due to the joint efforts of national authorities with the support of regional and international partners. In particular, increased naval patrols by the Gulf of Guinea littoral States and the regular deployment of naval forces by international partners have been successful in deterrence.
In addition, the strengthening of regional coordination and the criminalization of piracy and maritime crimes in Nigeria and Togo in 2021 are also important factors contributing to this positive development.
Be wary of new changes in pirate gangs
But Bobby also cautioned that piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has also changed over the past decade, with pirate groups adjusting to changes in conditions at sea and along the coast.
She stressed that part of the reason for the recent decrease in piracy cases may be the shift of criminal networks to other forms of maritime and river crime, such as oil smuggling and theft. The criminals may believe that these activities are less risky and more profitable.
Fully implement the maritime security architecture
Poppy therefore noted that, with the support of the international community, the States of the Gulf of Guinea and regional bodies, including the Economic Community of Central African States, the Economic Community of West African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, must intensify and accelerate their efforts to establish a stable and secure maritime environment in the Gulf of Guinea through the full implementation of the maritime security architecture set out in the Code of Conduct for Combating Piracy, Armed Robbery against Ships and Illegal Activities at Sea in West and Central Africa (the Yaoundé Code of Conduct).
Bobby referred in particular to the signing of an agreement between ECOWAS and the Government of Cape Verde on 26 October this year to establish a multinational maritime coordination centre in that country. It covers Zone G countries in the Maritime Security Centre of the West African Region, including Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal.
Previously, the National Coordination Centre for Region E in Cotonou, Benin, and the National Coordination Centre for Region F in Accra, Ghana, were activated. Poppy said this reflects the continued commitment of Gulf of Guinea countries to fully implement the Yaoundé maritime security architecture.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe Assistant Secretary-General Bobby briefs the Security Council on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea on 22 November.
Addressing fundamental challenges
Poppy also stressed that while there is currently no conclusive evidence of any potential or possible links between terrorists and pirate groups, addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges facing all communities in the region will ultimately help contain both threats.
In that regard, she said, the United Nations system continued to strengthen its collaboration with the international financial institutions to support the region in effectively addressing the root causes of vulnerability and insecurity.
Achieve sustainable and inclusive development
To effectively eradicate the threat of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Guinea, comprehensive and long-term approaches are needed to address poverty, lack of alternative livelihoods, youth unemployment and underemployment, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Poppy said.
There is also a need for sex-disaggregated data to capture the differential impact of maritime crime on women, girls, adult men and boys, and to develop inclusive strategies on that basis.
At the same time, the development of the blue economy in the Gulf of Guinea can also provide coastal communities with opportunities to further achieve sustainable economic growth, which is one of the core topics of the first maritime conference being prepared by ECCAS. The meeting is expected to be held in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, within the year.
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