Danish Ambassador Warns Against Complacency in Fight Against Piracy in Gulf of Guinea
Accra – In Accra, Mr. Tom Nørring, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, urged stakeholders in the maritime security sector to maintain vigilance against pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), despite a recent decline in incidents.
According to Ghana News Agency, it’s crucial not to let down safeguards in the face of persisting risks. He made these remarks at the launch of a study funded by Denmark and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), titled ‘Pirates of the Niger Delta II: An update of piracy trends and legal finish in the Gulf of Guinea’.
The event also marked the opening of a two-day training program on ‘Gender and Maritime Security in West Africa: Integrating the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda’, held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). This training, attended by 21 delegates from countries including Cote D’Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria, focuses on incorporating gender perspectives in maritime security.
Mr. Nørring emphasized the importance of continuous focus on maritime security issues, even with the reduction in pirate attacks. He cautioned against complacency, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance.
The Gulf of Guinea has been identified as one of the most dangerous shipping routes globally, with a significant percentage of kidnappings at sea occurring in the region. However, recent data from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) indicates a decrease in piracy incidents, with only seven cases reported in the first quarter of 2022 and five in the first quarter of 2023.
Air Commodore David Anetey Akrong, Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, raised concerns about the unequal representation of women and men in policy implementation in the maritime sector. He called for policies that recognize the unique gender dynamics within the Gulf of Guinea’s maritime sector.
Mr. Thomas Kofi Alansi, Chairman of the Ghana Maritime Security Committee and Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, pointed out a worrying shift in piracy incidents from West Africa to Central Africa, necessitating urgent attention and collaborative efforts to address these evolving challenges.
Ms. Jane Kimani Kinyazui, Associate Programme Officer at UNODC, reiterated UNODC’s commitment to collaborating with KAIPTC to train more maritime personnel, enhancing the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.
The study ‘Pirates of the Niger Delta II’ is a follow-up to the 2021 Danish-funded study ‘Pirates of the Niger Delta: between brown and blue waters’. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the recent decline in deep offshore kidnap-for-ransom incidents in the region, examining piracy incident data from various sources and exploring the modus operandi of piracy attacks during the period of decline.