Naval officers and maritime security representatives from about 25 countries gathered in Lagos, Nigeria, for a four-day Transatlantic Maritime Security Symposium aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCoC) and enhancing regional cooperation against maritime security threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
The symposium, convened by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) and the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, brought together senior naval and maritime security representatives from West and Central Africa, as well as international partner countries.
The ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone F was notably represented by the Deputy Director, Commander Emmanuel Quayson-Otoo, underscoring the Centre’s continued commitment to strengthening regional maritime security cooperation and advancing the effective implementation of the Yaoundé Architecture.
On Day Two of the symposium, Commander Quayson-Otoo delivered a presentation on “Information Sharing in Support of Joint Maritime Operations.” His presentation highlighted the importance of timely, accurate and effective information exchange among maritime security institutions in enhancing situational awareness, operational coordination and collective responses to maritime threats.
The symposium addressed key issues affecting the operationalisation of the YCoC, including information sharing, coordination mechanisms, institutional barriers and the need for strengthened joint maritime operations. Participants also discussed coordinated responses to piracy, armed robbery at sea, trafficking, illegal fishing and other forms of transnational maritime crime.
The engagements reaffirmed the importance of regional and international cooperation, as maritime security threats transcend national boundaries. The symposium therefore provided an important platform for naval and maritime security leaders to exchange experiences and identify practical measures to strengthen the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and coordinated maritime security operations across the Gulf of Guinea.
