KAIPTC, Government of Denmark sign second Agreement on Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea
- Government of Denmark affirms committment to strengthening maritime security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea.
13th Sept. 2022: The Government of Denmark, through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has signed an agreement with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) to provide funding support of 2,142,668 million US Dollars to implement a five-year project. The project – “Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Maritime Domain in West and Central Africa”- forms part of the Third Phase of the Danish Maritime Security Programme for the Gulf of Guinea (DMSP 3), 2022-2026, under its Peace and Stabilization Engagement (PSE 3).
An official signing ceremony has taken place at KAIPTC to commence the project. The Danish Ambassador, H.E. Tom Nørring signed on behalf of the Government of Denmark, while Maj. Gen. Francis Ofori, Commandant of KAIPTC, signed for the Centre.
This project is a sequel to the DMSP Phase 2 (2019-2021) funded project, “Enhancing Regional Research, Capacity Building and Convening of Stakeholders Towards a Safer Maritime Domain in the Gulf of Guinea”, which focused on promoting a shared understanding of maritime norms, and fostering collaboration and cooperation across Gulf of Guinea states to enhance maritime security and safety in the region. The three-year project has contributed to the development of research-based knowledge products including 10 publications that examined critical maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea. The project also strengthened the capacities of over 180 maritime security actors and stakeholders in the Gulf of Guinea region, and institutionalized a platform for regular dialogue among international and regional actors on ways to better operationalize the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCC), and strengthen the coordination structures under the Yaoundé processes as well.
Similar to the previous project, the new five-year project employs the combined tools of research, dialogue and capacity building to further deepen collaboration, coordination and pooling of resources to effectively address maritime security challenges in the GoG region. Targeting coastal states in West and Central Africa, the project also focuses on; deepening the engagement of women and vulnerable groups in maritime security; examining the nexus between land and sea based crimes, as well as strengthening the reporting role of the media in promoting maritime security the Gulf of Guinea.
Present at the signing ceremony were the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Cdre George Arko-Dadzie; the Director of Administration, Col. (Rtd) Robert Adwini; the Chief Coordinator, KAIPTC, Col. Chris Dagadu; Danish Embassy Development Assistant, Mr. Kasper Overgaard Nielsen; the Legal Officer for the Centre, Ms. Rachel Maccarthy; Acting Programme Manager for the Danish Project, Mrs. Afua Lamptey,; Senior Maritime Security Programme Officer of theDanish Embassy, Mr. Joel Johnson; KAIPTC Research Officer, Mrs. Serwaa Allotey-Pappoe; and the Head of Corporate Affairs, KAIPTC, Mrs. Rosemond Aryeetey.
As a strong seafaring nation and a responsible actor in the maritime domain, Denmark is committed to promoting the freedom of navigation and maritime safety and security all over the world. Among several other interventions in the Gulf of Guinea, Denmark has supported the Yaounde Architecture processes, as well as various partners, including the KAIPTC to strengthen maritime law enforcement, promote inter-agency collaboration, develop capacities of maritime practitioners and facilitate dialogue among international, regional and national maritime security stakeholders to enhance maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea. This five-year project (DMSP phase III) amply demonstrates the continuous commitment of the Government of Denmark to promote security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea region in particular, and the continent in general.