Lenn Eugene Nagbe, the Commissioner and CEO Liberia Maritime Authority noted that the Government of Liberia shares the global concerns on maritime security, especially incidents of piracy.
More specifically, speaking during the BIMCO World Shipping Council recently, Mr. Nagbe said Liberia remains actively involved in efforts to maintain maritime security, specifically in the Gulf of Guinea.
He further pointed out that there is a need to tackle piracy and general criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
To highlight his claims, he revealed that the 2020 data on incidents in the Gulf of Guinea is alarming. According to him, there have been approximately 136 reported incidents of piracy in the region in 2020.
However, Commissioner Nagbe said the Gulf of Guinea bi-annual report for the first half of 2021 reported 38 incidents in the region, showing a drastic decrease in piracy incidents.
In spite of this decrease in the number of piracy incidents, the Gulf of Guinea remains a hotbed for kidnapping, hijacking and other criminal activities. For instance, we would have reported to you two days ago, that since the beginning of 2021, 40 crew have been kidnapped from vessels, and one seafarer was unfortunately killed
The Maritime boss also stated that the efforts in combatting and eradicating the threat need a hand-in-hand approach with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and regional partners, as well as, the international maritime industry, and multinational naval and security forces.
Furthermore, Commissioner Nagbe reiterated that Liberia remains committed to the collaboration, coordination and pooling of resources for collective security and safety in the region.
For this, through its Ship Registry, Liberia has rallied maritime stakeholders, and signed the Gulf of Guinea Declaration on Suppression of Piracy, in addition to providing an essential link between West Africa, the international community, and the IMO, the Liberia Maritime boss said.
