The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and Chatham House London are to collaborate in engaging this month the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with a view to getting it to address maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea as part of efforts by NIMASA to combat piracy and sea robbery in the region.
In a post on his verified X handle yesterday, (Sunday, August 11), Director General (DG) of NIMASA Dr. Dayo Mobereola said the decision was reached during his recent session with Dr. Alex Vines, Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, London, with Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the International Maritime Organization, Bwala William, in attendance.
According to the DG , NIMASA and Chatham House have also commenced collaboration to convene a meeting of international stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in Nigeria in order to develop a position paper on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
He emphasized the importance of effective international partnership to sustain security in the Gulf of Guinea, stressing: “We had a very fruitful discussion with the team at Chatham House. The decision to engage the UN Security Council is to ensure they are well informed about the progress made so far in terms of security in the Gulf of Guinea.”
“We also need an independent analysis of the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea and how best to transform the gains in terms of enhanced security, into tangible economic benefits such as reduction in the cost of all Nigerian Bound freight and issues bothering on payment of war risk insurance premium for Nigerian bound vessels,” Dr. Mobereola emphasized, adding that “the coming on board of Chatham House will serve as a catalyst in developing our Blue Economy”.
