NAN-F-39
Piracy
Nairobi, July 25, 2017 (Xinhua/NAN) Kenya on Tuesday called on African countries to establish an inter-agency coordination to help in the fight against piracy.
James Macharia, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development said piracy is still on the rise in the continent hence the need to domesticate anti-piracy laws for effective prosecution measures.
“It is important that a maximum continental collaboration is forged to help solve problems faced by most countries,” Macharia said during celebrations to mark Africa’s Day of the Seas and Oceans in Nairobi.
He said that maritime crimes such as illegal arms, money laundering, unreported fishing, smuggling, theft of crude oil, smuggling and drug trafficking also require full attention from the governments.
“I believe that once these measures are taken into consideration by the governments, then the governments will start benefiting from the Blue Economy and help actualize Africa’s vision on wealth creation through sustainable use of Seas and Oceans,” said Macharia.
He said that African nations need to collectively address innovative solutions to maritime challenges that hinder maximisation and sustainable use of the continent’s maritime space.
The cabinet secretary also called for the enhancement of security and safety of maritime transportation systems through sharing of information on preventives measures on hostile and criminal acts at sea.
On pollution, the official challenged government to take maritime pollution and dumping of toxic and nuclear wastes seriously by protecting populations given that the Blue economy sector promises a lot in transforming the countries.
In recent past, Kenya has embarked in expanding port capacity and expanding inland rail and road transport network as interventions aimed at inspiring the anticipated economic growth in the sector.
NAN reports that by a report by antipiracy NGO, Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) , said pirate attacks off the coast of West Africa almost doubled in 2016 while reduced funding for military patrols off the coast of Somalia led to a spike in hijackings in the Indian Ocean.
OBP said there were 95 attacks by pirates in the waters of West Africa in 2016, up from 54 in the previous year.
The report said two-thirds of the attacks were launched off Nigeria, where militants in the oil-rich southern marshlands have been wreaking havoc by attacking pipelines and oil terminals.
The report also said that a reduction in spending by the international community on counter-piracy efforts in the Indian Ocean may be behind a recent uptick in pirate activity off the coast of Somalia, which was once synonymous with hijackings.
Somali pirates have successfully boarded at least five vessels off the country’s coastline and in the Gulf of Aden, which separates northern Somalia from Yemen and is one of the world’s busiest shipping transit routes, in 2017. (Xinhua/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Sadiya Hamza