A maritime security and piracy protection company has welcomed calls by the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (‘ECOWAS’) and the leaders of the Economic Community of Central African States (‘ECCAS’) for the deployment of international naval force in the Gulf of Guinea.
At a meeting of June 24, the leaders of ECOWAS and ECCAS held a summit to establish a joint plan to overcome the rampant piracy and maritime crime in the region. The summit was in response to increased piracy, which is now having a severe impact on the region’s oil and gas industry.
Philip Cable, CEO of Maritime Asset Security and Training (MAST) Ltd, said: “This request for naval support by the heads of state of West African nations is extremely encouraging. Until this point the governments concerned have been reluctant to consider allowing foreign naval forces to operate in their territorial waters.
“We welcome any measure which fosters closer cooperation between Central and West African states to tackle the issue of piracy in the region, as, without it, the problem will continue to escalate. Likewise, the international community must continue to work to support West African states in their efforts to combat the persistent threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. These steps by the members of ECOWAS and ECCAS will help to better safeguard the international shipping community, boost levels of trade and facilitate the local and global economies that are dependent on a thriving shipping industry.”
For further information visit: http://www.mast-commercial.com/
