A five-year project (2022-2026) – Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Maritime Domain in West and Central Africa – is being implemented by the KAIPTC with funding from the Government of Denmark, through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Using the experience of the previous three-year project on “Enhancing regional research, capacity building and convening of stakeholders towards a safer maritime domain in the Gulf of Guinea ((2019-2021)”, the project engages research, dialogue, and capacity building in order to foster interagency collaboration and enhance media reporting on maritime security. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen the roles of women in the GoG maritime security domain.
As part of the activities under the project, a Consultative Mission was organized from September and October 2022, targeting West and Central African countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville. The purpose of this was to introduce the new project and strengthen partnerships developed over the years with maritime actors and stakeholders. The mission consisted of members from the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research (FAAR) of KAIPTC, the Head of the Corporate Affairs Unit and a Course Director from the Training Department. The team consulted strategic stakeholders including ECOWAS (Abuja), the Inter-Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) (Yaoundé), the Regional Maritime Coordination Centres in West and Central Africa (Abidjan and Pointe Noire) at the strategic and political levels.
Mr. John Pokoo, Programme Head, Conflict Management Programme and Dr. Kwaku Danso, Deputy Dean, Academic Affairs in a consultative meeting with Dr. Abdel Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission
A number of national-level agencies such as maritime authorities, the Navy, Air force, Marine Police, Ports and Harbours, Immigration and Customs services, oil and gas companies, fisheries, transnational organized crime control networks, media agencies and women’s groups were consulted. Conversations during the consultative missions centered on the critical role women and the media play in the maritime space, interagency collaboration among maritime agencies, and the need to de-conflict the mandates of maritime stakeholders by developing a framework that clearly spells out their respective jurisdiction to avoid turf wars. Through this five-year project, it is envisaged that a total of 230 participants (including women and media personalities) will be trained; 23 empirical-based research on maritime security will be published; and 330 maritime actors will be given platform for networking and dialogue.
KAIPTC team interacting with Capt James Quayson, Habour Master and selected staff at the Takoradi Harbour