Nigeria and the Inter Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) Yaoundé have
formed a forum to galvanise regional and international efforts to ensure
security in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG). Gulf of Guinea Maritime
Collaboration Forum (GOG-MCF/SHADE) was floated after meetings between
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, representing Nigeria, and Executive
Director of ICC Yaoundé, Admiral Narciso Fastudo Jr.
A joint statement by NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and ICC Yaoundé said
GOG-MCF/SHADE, which was purposed to facilitate shared awareness and
deconfliction of activities in the Gulf of Guinea, “will be open to all
GOG countries with similar capacities to join on a voluntary basis.”
The statement dated April 26, 2021 said, “GOG-MCF/SHADE will focus on
counter-piracy and armed robbery by bringing together regional,
international, industry and NGO partners to advance and coordinate near
term maritime activities with a view to working toward a set of common
operational objectives in order to protect seafarers and ships operating
off the coast of West and Central Africa.”
Jamoh and Fastudo agreed to hold the first virtual meeting of
GOG-MCF/SHADE as soon as practicable, saying modalities would be
announced later. They said due to its complementary nature, the
G7++Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (G7++FOGG) would support the
creation of GOG-MCF/SHADE, which would comprise an open plenary session;
working group meetings; working group chairs, coordination meeting; and
a plenary session report.
Jamoh said, “The new maritime security framework speaks to our own
integrated approach to security in the country’s waters and the Gulf of
Guinea. We have always believed in bringing all maritime stakeholders on
board in the search for security, and we have proffered that as a
solution at various forums with our regional and international partners.
“I am confident that cooperative efforts and shared capabilities are the
best approach to success in our collective quest for maritime security.
“GOG-MCF/SHADE is coming as a powerful new force for security in the
Gulf of Guinea.”