RECALLING the role of the International Maritime Organization (the Organization) in
ensuring the safety and security of international shipping,
RECALLING ALSO Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING FURTHER Assembly resolution A.1069(28) on Prevention and suppression of
piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in the Gulf of
Guinea urging Governments to cooperate with and assist States in the Gulf of
Guinea region to enhance their national and regional capabilities to improve maritime
governance in waters under their jurisdiction, while reiterating full respect for the
sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and territorial integrity of all States and
the relevant provisions of international law, in particular the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
RECOGNIZING the ongoing work of the United Nations and other relevant organizations and
stakeholders in support of the countries of the region in their efforts to prevent and
combat piracy and armed robbery against vessels,
BEING DEEPLY CONCERNED about the escalation in the number and severity of attacks in the
Gulf of Guinea region which threaten the lives and well-being of seafarers and the
safety of shipping in the region,
NOTING WITH APPRECIATION the continuous efforts made by the region to curb piracy and
armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Guinea, including drafting anti-piracy laws,
the Deep Blue Project, and the establishment of the GoG Maritime Collaboration Forum
(GoG-MCF/SHADE GoG) working with law enforcement and the Interregional Coordination
Centre (ICC Yaoundé) and the ongoing establishment of the Yaoundé Architecture Regional
Integration System (YARIS), and utilizing useful platforms working in the region, such
as the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FOGG) in support of the framework,
NOTING ALSO that IMO and industry are taking actions to address threats posed by piracy
and armed robbery attacks against vessels and the kidnapping of seafarers and/or
passengers in the Gulf of Guinea, including providing technical assistance to Member
States in the region regarding the implementation of maritime security measures,
supporting regional initiatives such as the Interregional Coordination Centre (ICC) to
assist with the implementation of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCC), and providing Best
Management Practices (BMP) West Africa (WA) to assist companies and seafarers to assess
the risks associated with voyages through the Gulf of Guinea and mitigate any potential
threats to their safety and security,
BEARING IN MIND that greater collaboration with all critical stakeholders on activities
is needed, due to a number of challenges encountered by regional countries, including
information-sharing on maritime criminality and illegality, maritime domain awareness
such as MDAT-GoG (Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade for the Gulf of Guinea) and
surface and/or air patrol capabilities, functional legal frameworks in line with
international best practice, capacity-building such as skill development of maritime law
enforcement agents, integration of national inter-agency efforts and youth empowerment
programmes,
REITERATING the Organization's determination to continue to address piracy and armed
robbery against vessels and to promote safe and secure navigation in the waters of the
Gulf of Guinea,
1 CALLS ON Member States, national authorities, the United Nations and other relevant
organizations to:
-
.1 consider strengthening law enforcement, and harmonization of criminal
penalties across coastal States to arrest and prosecute pirates in relevant
jurisdictions in accordance with international law and national legal
frameworks;
-
.2 consider options and international best practices for improved governance of
available protection solutions such as security escort vessels for assisting
other vessels, in accordance with international law, and with due respect for
the sovereignty, sovereign rights and territorial integrity of coastal States;
and
.3 support and encourage wider participation in the international
framework GoG-MCF/SHADE GoG as well as other platforms, such as G7++FOGG, with a
view to improving maritime security and safety in the region and facilitating
the strengthening of cooperation mechanisms for regional maritime patrol and
protection;
2 REQUESTS the Secretary-General to:
-
.1 make full use of its funds to sustain technical cooperation on addressing
piracy and armed robbery for the regional countries, such as providing training
workshops/webinars and developing courses in relationship with existing
initiatives and programmes;
-
.2 encourage the creation, subject to available resources, of a common platform
to better facilitate the timely and reliable communication of standardized
information on piracy or armed robbery between existing mechanisms such as
MDAT-GoG, the NIMASA C4i-Centre, Regional Reporting Centres, the ICC IMB Piracy
Reporting Centre and relevant responding law enforcement, as well as the
subsequent analysis of the reported information; and
-
.3 sustain its efforts in addressing piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of
Guinea in coordination with Member States, the United Nations and the industry.
3 CALLS UPON Member States, international organizations and relevant stakeholders to
consider making financial contributions to the IMO West and Central Africa Maritime
Security Trust Fund, which remains open to support the Organization's maritime security
capacity-building programme to assist Gulf of Guinea coastal States as well as regional
centres under the YCC architecture; and
4 INVITES the Secretary-General, Member States, international organizations and relevant
stakeholders to bring this resolution to the attention of all parties concerned.