G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FoGG) Plenary Session in Abidjan
On 1 and 2 December, CRIMSON attended the plenary session of the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. For the first time, civil society organisations were also invited to the plenary. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) was identified as one of the main priorities to be addressed in the Gulf of Guinea, largely as a result of the sharp drop in piracy over the lasts two years. Other priorities that will continue being the focus of the FoGG in 2023 include the enhancement of collaboration and cooperation at regional and international levels, and biodiversity in marine environments.
Panel discussions were held around the role of civil society in the protection of coastal resources, and the operationalisation of the Maritime Multinational Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone G in Cape Verde. Furthermore, the EU-funded study “Pirates and Oil Theft in the Niger Delta”, written in coordination with CRIMSON, was presented and is available to read here.
The EU Senior Coordinator for the GoG, Mr. Nicolas Berlanga, confirmed the EU’s intention to increase port calls through the Coordinated Maritime Presence (CMP) and increase training on vessels. He also reiterated the EU’s continuous commitment to support the Yaoundé Architecture.
Upcoming events
January: Participation in CRIMARIO’s Interoperability Framework Conference – SHARE.IT
