Nigeria seeks lasting solutions to maritime domain threats at coming Global Maritime Security Conference
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has expressed the nation’s resolve to ensure actionable solutions are proffered to address the problem of insecurity in Nigeria’s maritime domain, as the Agency hosts the Global Maritime Security Conference in Abuja from October 7th to 9th, 2019.
Available information from NIMASA on Sunday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would give the keynote address of the conference, which is scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Expected stakeholders to the conference include the Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission, Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the Director General NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Nigeria’s Chief of the Naval Staff, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)President, among others.
Described as a high-level maritime security gathering, the conference aims to “establish a clearer understanding of the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea region and develop tailored solutions as well as coordinate efforts at strengthening regional and international collaborations to extinguish maritime threats in the region,” as contained in the available information.
Among the objectives of the conference are to understand the impact of maritime insecurity on the economic, social, political and environmental fabrics and their implications on the global community of
maritime trade.
maritime trade.
In that regard, the conference discourses would “define the precise nature and scope of coordinated regional responses to maritime insecurity vis-à-vis intervention supports from external actors/partners.
“Evaluate the relevance and impacts of the various interventions initiated already to tackle maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea with a view to revising and adapting them to address the current challenges.
“Decisively move towards policy harmonization and effective implementation through regional integration and cooperation as principal method for delivering effective and efficient security in the region.
“In addition to tackling threats to maritime security, strategize alternative approach to prevent cyber security attack and other forms of emerging maritime security threats,” the information disclosed.
An important part of the conference outcome would be advocacy for deeper global commitment to the deployment of resources for ending maritime insecurity within the region, and in timely manner.
All key stakeholders in the maritime industry, including those in the Oil and Gas Sector are expected to be at the conference.
