Member States of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) have reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen collaboration to ensure peace, security and sustainable development of the Gulf of Guinea region for the benefit of its peoples. The commitment was made during the 6th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Gulf of Guinea Commission which was held in Accra on 6th August, 2024 under the theme “Building a Safe, Secure and Prosperous Gulf of Guinea Region for Sustainable Development”. The Member States of the GGC are Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe.
The President of the Republic of Ghana and current Chair of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his address reiterated the need for member states of the GGC to strengthen their collaboration and cooperation because of the inter-connectivity of maritime activities that necessitate working together to build a safe, secure and prosperous Gulf of Guinea Region for sustainable development. “No one country can by itself deal with the multiplicity of the continuously evolving maritime threats in its territorial waters, it is therefore imperative for all concerned countries to build their capacities by strengthening cooperation and promote information-sharing among countries, bordering the Gulf of Guinea region” he added.
President Akufo-Addo in a speech read on his behalf by Ghana’s Minister for Defence, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul also recalled that the establishment of the GGC, was to ensure maritime security and the development of the region. He noted that the GGC had since 2015 put in place strategies and policies to revitalise the Commission to ensure maritime security, development of the region and increase its relevance in international geo-politics. This he noted had yielded some positive results, especially the increased interaction with African Regional Economic Communities and the African Union, regarding the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy.
The President stated that despite the gains, there are still a myriad of challenges to be surmounted by the Commission to prevent threats to the security and resources in the Gulf of Guinea. He, therefore, urged the member countries to continue to work and initiate innovative approaches to tackle the challenges and threats to maritime security in the region, and the expansion of the membership of the Commission to include all 19 coastal states bordering the Gulf of Guinea.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, Ing. Jose Mba Abeso commended Ghana for hosting the Summit. He stated that the Gulf of Guinea region is rich in natural resources and potential and was optimistic that member states could harness the opportunities offered by a blue economy to drive economic growth, create jobs and improve livelihoods. He reiterated the need to revise the Treaty establishing the Commission to enable it to adapt the legal and institutional framework to strengthen regional cooperation and maritime governance. He further called on the members to work together to create policies aimed at resolving the issues of piracy and environmental degradation which persistently confronts the Gulf of Guinea region.