The Sierra Leone government and the Camões Institute of Portugal have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of a regional maritime security initiative on the Gulf of Guinea.
The MoU, which was signed on Tuesday, specifically concerns the implementation of a key component of the ‘Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS), an initiative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This European Union funded initiative seeks to protect the maritime spaces of member states of the West African bloc.
The 28 Million EUR project is the largest initiative on maritime security in the ECOWAS region, where insecurity in the maritime sector has been growing recently, especially in the Gulf of Guinea, which is considered as the most dangerous sea route in the world today,
Through SWAIMS, the 12 ECOWAS coastal member states are provided material support as well as training and legal strengthening to all 15 ECOWAS member states (including the three landlocked countries) and Mauritania.
The implementation of SWAIMS has been ongoing for the last four years.
Security experts say insecurity in the maritime sector of Africa, especially in the Gulf of Guinea poses major threat to the economy and the environment of the region. The approximately 6,000 km of coastline extending from West to Central Africa is an important shipping zone transporting oil and gas, as well as goods to and from central and southern Africa.
It is estimated that around 1,500 fishing vessels, tankers, and cargo ships navigate the stretch of water daily, making it a lucrative venture for gangs involved in various criminal activities, including armed robbery and kidnapping at sea, illegal fishing, smuggling and trafficking, transnational organised crime and, recently, piracy.
The concerns in the Gulf of Guinea insecurity have been further heightened by the involvement of terrorists organizations.
SWAIMS aims at strengthening the operational response capacities of law enforcement bodies and management of the Rule of Law at sea in the 12 ECOWAS coastal countries, including Sierra Leone.
The MoU, according to a press statement issued by the European Union Delegation in Freetown, seeks to ensure timely implementation of the project, with the goal of effectively curbing unlawful maritime activities, through delivery of equipment and other training activities.
The Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language of Portugal is managing and implementing this component of the programme, which is co-funded by the European Union with 10 Million EUR and the Portuguese Cooperation with 2 Million EUR.
“Under this SWAIMS programme component, the capacity and capabilities of Sierra Leone’s Navy to carry out patrolling and evidence collection at sea will be strengthened through the supply of specialized boats and training of personnel” the statement reads.
It notes that Sierra Leone will receive three semi-rigid vessels and forensic equipment to support the deployment of crews, garrisons and shore teams, trained and ready for interventions at sea, with the capacity to conduct inspections and collect evidence effectively and safely.
“The MoU [] signed today sets out the partners’ responsibilities for the delivery and use of the equipment, as well as for the training of trainers and garrisons,” it says.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Freetown, where the Minister, Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai was joined via video from the headquarters of Camões Institute in Lisbon by its President, João Ribeiro de Almeida.
Juan Antonio Frutos, the Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union in Sierra Leone, was part of the signing ceremony and he was quoted saying that the European Union remains committed to supporting Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS countries to strengthen law enforcement capacities to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
