A number of African organizations, along with the support of the European Union, have reached a decision to enhance their efforts to make sure that piracy does not resurge on the continent.
Namely, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the East African Community (EAC) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), signed a resolution to improve this matter. This was signed during the seventh meeting of the Regional Maritime Security Program, in order to improve the region’s ability to tackle piracy.
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Commenting on the occasion, COMESA Assistant Secretary-General Kipyego Cheluget emphasized the importance of addressing structural factors which could provide an opportunity for robbers.
In addition, the representative of the European Union, Ivo Hoefkens, repeated EU’s commitment to support Afrcia in developing its capability to tackle organized crime in the maritime industry.
He also stressed the importance of maritime security in developing the so-called blue economy that the continent can offer, based on what can be done by protecting ecosystems.
Finally, the regional program includes measures to improve legal, legislative and infrastructure capacities to tackle piracy and maritime crime in general, as well as decomposing financial networks that are related to these offenses and minimize their impact.
