ECOWAS Moves To Curb Piracy, Enforce Maritime Security In W/Africa

* Partners EU, Others

The Commission of Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) is intensifying efforts at combating piracy and other
maritime criminality with the support of development partners,
particularly the European Union (EU), United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the governments of Germany, Denmark
and the USA.

Underscoring the benefits and crucial importance of the
collaborative partnerships, Col. Abdourahmane Dieng, Head of
Regional Security Division, Department of Political Affairs, Peace
and Security, ECOWAS Commission, explained that ECOWAS had
initiated efforts on Maritime Security as far back as 2008, in
tandem with similar measures by the Economic Community of Central
African States (ECCAS).

Speaking in an interview in his Abuja office, on 13th June 2019,
he recalled that this was before sea attacks rose by 10 per cent in
the Gulf of Guinea between 2010 and 2011, a development linked to
oil exploration and exploitation and with the extension of the
unrest in Nigeria’s Niger Delta from land to the sea.

Globally, the economic cost of piracy alone is estimated at
between 15 and 25 billion US dollars, with the Ocean Beyond Piracy
(OBP), putting the cost in West Africa at 818 million dollars in
2017. By 2018, the Piracy Reporting Centre of the International
Maritime Bureau (IMB) warned that the maritime industry experienced
a net increase in attacks, year-over-year with “a marked rise in
attacks against ships and crews around West Africa.”

In June 2013, leaders of ECOWAS, ECCAS and the Gulf of Guinea
Commission at their summit in Yaoundé, Cameroon, agreed to
collectively address security issues in their maritime domain. This
resulted in three strategic instruments – a Political Declaration,
Memorandum of Understanding and the Code of Conduct for the
repression of acts of piracy and other illicit activities committed
at sea in the Gulf of Guinea.

Col Dieng explained that consequently, ECOWAS in 2014 adopted an
Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS), with five pillars – maritime
governance, maritime safety and security, maritime environment,
maritime economy and maritime domain awareness and research.

While expressing ECOWAS’ gratitude to development partners for
their support, he said “much work is still required for sustainable
maritime security and full realisation of the benefits of the
region’s blue economy.”

The EU is supporting ECOWAS member States and Mauritania with
funding estimated at 155 million pounds for the Improved Regional
Fisheries Governance in Western Africa (PESCAO) and Support to West
Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS). These programmes,
which also cover illegal human and drug trafficking, are in
addition to the multi-million-Euro EU Support to ECOWAS Regional
Peace, Security and Stability Mandate (EU-ECOWAS PSS) Project.

Col. Dieng called for the enhancement of maritime domain
awareness, acquisition of more sea vision equipment and radar
assistance to boost satellite surveillance, training and joint
operations at sea, and the tackling of maritime blindness.

“There is the need for enhanced stakeholder cooperation for
effective governance of the maritime domain,” said Col Dieng, who
also highlighted the issue of capacity deficiency at the regional
security division, which is also in charge of Counter Terrorism,
Security Sector Reform and Governance, coordination of security and
intelligence services, and at the same time providing technical
support to other ECOWAS departments dealing with transnational
organized crimes.

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AbdulRahman’s Result: Tribunal Adjourns PDP’s Case Over
WAEC Subpoena

Kwara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday
adjourned to Friday to enable a representative of the West African
Examinations Council (WAEC) to present his subpoena.

The tribunal had adjourned to Thursday for full hearings to
begin in the petition of the PDP challenging the declaration of
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on the allegation that the governor
had presented a forged certificate.

But Waheed Bamidele Amode, the WAEC branch controller for Kwara
State who appeared on subpoena by the PDP, told the tribunal that
he was yet to receive copies of the subpoena from the Lagos
headquarters of the body.

Amode’s statement led to the PDP counsel Paul Erokoro (SAN)
requesting the tribunal to stand down the case for Amode to present
evidence of the subpoena and that he had been asked to represent
the examination body.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Rowland Otaru objected to the application, insisting that it
amounted to needless waste of time by the petitioners.

Otaru said the petitioners had nearly three weeks since the
tribunal adjourned to get the WAEC representative to appear before
the tribunal to prove its case but waited till June 9 to serve the
subpoena.

Otaru suggested that the petitioners ought to call another
witness if it has a case to prove rather than ask for any
adjournment.

Counsel to AbdulRazaq, Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) and that of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) Akin Olujimi aligned with the INEC’s
position, insisting the application was strange.

The tribunal, however, granted the application, saying the
petitioners were still within their time limit of four days to
argue their case.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor