West and Central African states to co-operate in sub-regional Coastguard network

West and Central African states to co-operate in sub-regional Coastguard network


Twenty member States of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) have adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a Sub-regional Coastguard Network for the West and Central African sub-region at the 13th General Assembly of Ministers of MOWCA, in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, 30th July, 2008,

The adoption of the MoU is a major landmark in a long-running campaign by IMO and MOWCA to improve maritime safety, security and environmental protection in the sub-region. It follows a feasibility study undertaken by IMO and the successful IMO/MOWCA forum on the establishment of an integrated coast guard function network for West and Central African Countries held in Dakar in October 2006.

The MoU provides an institutional framework for suppressing piracy, armed robbery and other unlawful acts against ships and addressing illegal fishing, drug and weapon trafficking, illegal migration, oil theft, damage to gas pipelines and maritime accident response in the sub-region. It provides guidelines for coastal surveillance, presence in the exclusive economic zones of the sub-region and enforcement of international conventions, regulations and codes – principally those of IMO and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It has provisions on a “right of hot pursuit” in case of unlawful acts perpetrated against ships.

Organisationally, the sub-region has been divided in to four Coastguard Zones, each comprising five States; with four coastguard centres in Dakar, Senegal; Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire; Lagos, Nigeria and Pointe Noire, Congo. The Network has two Principal Coordinating Centres in Accra, Ghana and Luanda, Angola.

Soon after the MoU was adopted and opened for signature, 11 of the 20 coastal member States of MOWCA, representing 55 per cent of the membership, immediately signed the MoU. Member States of MOWCA which signed the MoU are Cameroun, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. Other Coastal member States which supported the adoption of the MoU are expected to sign it within the next few weeks.

The MoU comes into force in any given coastguard zone (made up of five adjoining states) three months after all the states of the zone have signed it.

The signing of the MoU builds on the significant progress made by IMO towards the development of sub-regional capacity for ensuring maritime safety and security through the establishment of co-operative mechanisms including Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centres (MRCCs) and inter-agency agreements.

Speaking at the opening of the General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Senegal, Mr Cheikh Soumare, expressed his gratitude to the Secretary-General of IMO for the unstinting support given, through the international community and through MOWCA, for the success of this project.

The General Assembly was attended by Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, all of which are member States of MOWCA.

It was also attended by MOWCA Specialised Organs representing ports, shippers, shipping lines, the Regional Maritime Academy in Abidjan and the Regional Maritime University in Accra. IMO, the African Union, the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa and INTERPOL were in attendance as observers.