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Criminal activities at sea are often directed against ships or maritime structures, but also include the transport of illicit substances or the trafficking of persons by transnational organized criminal networks.
In its violent forms, it constitutes a constant threat to the safety of navigation and to the physical integrity and life of seafarers.
It is in this context that the Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) of Ghana, Vice-Admiral Seth Amoama, seeks the support of the Ghanaian navy and its counterparts in the sub-region to fight against these crimes drastically.
He also urged the Ghanaian navy to cooperate and share information with its counterparts to tackle crime and insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Exercise Obangame Express 2021 (OE21) in Accra on Saturday, CDS said the number of vessels operating in the Gulf of Guinea had increased in recent times, with a corresponding increase in incidents maritime.
Exercise OE21 was designed to enhance regional cooperation, maritime domain knowledge, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise in order to strengthen the collective capacities of participating countries to counteract activities. illegal at sea.
Vice Admiral Amoama said regulatory and law enforcement agencies were under pressure to alleviate these issues, which included illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy and armed robbery, trafficking human beings and drugs, as well as the transport of illegal goods at sea.
He said such crimes could not be fought by any country and encouraged interoperability and cooperation between maritime actors and effective sharing of maritime information to curb the threat.
“Indeed, these are complex transnational crimes, which cannot be combated by a single nation,” he said, adding that: “For those of us in the sub-region, therefore, our concern is not just about preventing threats in the Gulf. of Guinea, but rather by empowering our police forces by equipping them with the capacity and capacities necessary to effectively face threats. ”
Vice-Admiral Amoama commended the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) for its continued assistance in improving maritime security in the sub-region.
He said states along the Gulf of Guinea and their international partners remain committed to tackling maritime crime and insecurity, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rear Admiral Issah Yakubu, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), said the exercise improved the operational capabilities of stakeholders such as standardization of skills and communications between navy, air forces and partners.
He said, however, that the exercise also exposed the limitations of the country’s surveillance capacity and that the navy would engage relevant stakeholders to fill those gaps in order to improve operations.
Rear Admiral Yakubu commended the United States Naval Forces for their continued support to the Ghanaian Navy.
Ms. Stephanie Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, said the exercise would enhance regional cooperation and information sharing among participating countries, to counter illicit maritime activities at sea and enhance safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.
She instructed the Navy to continue to use the experiences, networks and skills gathered to tackle maritime challenges to ensure peace, security and stability in the region.
The Ambassador congratulated the participants for ensuring the success of the exercise amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rear Admiral Jeffrey S. Spivey, Director, Maritime Partnership Program, US Navies and Africa was also present at the ceremony.
OE21, organized under the auspices of AFRICOM, is one of three regional exercises facilitated by US naval forces in Africa.
It was part of a comprehensive strategy by the U.S. Naval Forces Sixth Fleet and AFRICOM to provide African forces and international partners with collaborative opportunities to address maritime security challenges.
Over 200 participants from 36 countries, international organizations and regional groupings took part in the two-week exercise.
— RNG
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