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Nigeria calls for urgent action to end insecurity, maritime threats
Nigeria has called for urgent action to end terrorism, piracy and trafficking along the African Atlantic coast. Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama made the call while stating Nigeria’s position at the First Ministerial Conference of African Atlantic States in Rabat, Morocco.The Minister, also a lead presenter of the decisions of African countries on “Political Dialogue, Security and Safety”, said the spread of terrorism, drugs and piracy were threats to be contained.
He urged all African countries bordering the Atlantic to collaborate to stem maritime threats for the better economic development of the region. “Piracy and the spread of terrorism are urgent and immediate threats to be addressed on African Atlantic shores; these are the challenges facing our region. “There are, however, different national approaches on maritime security which ECOWAS and the G7 have engaged in. “These efforts are not just around the Atlantic but also the Gulf of Guinea; Atlantic countries must come together to do more,” he said. Onyeama said that concerted efforts at capacity building and experience sharing among Atlantic member countries would result in the implementation of customised solutions to the region. Earlier in his address, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr Nasser Bourita, said the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, called for a relaunch of the African Atlantic collaboration for peace and prosperity. He said that climate vulnerability and food security had displaced over 1.5million people around the coast of West Africa. “The collaboration of African Atlantic Countries will ensure sustainable development and prosperity. “We must come together to restructure the African Atlantic space. “The declaration to be achieved after this conference must be action-oriented, inclusive and should enable Africa to take ownership; let it be what unites us,” Bourita said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria is one of the 23 African Countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Others are Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cameroon. Also, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia and South Africa. The countries linked by this ocean are home to more than half of the African population. They account for 55 percent of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 57 percent of continental trade.
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Customs
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Marine and Blue Economy sector holds better prospects for Nigerian youths– Oyetola
Funso OLOJO
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has advised Nigerian youths to take advantage of the countless opportunities in the sector as they have better prospects.
Oyetola made this call on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024 at the 2024 International Conference, titled, ‘Advancing Entrepreneurship Education and Practice for Sustainable Development in Africa,”
The event was organized by the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (IFEDS), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
The Minister, represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, said that the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of Nigeria.
Oyetola highlighted the opportunities in the blue economy to constitute a spectrum of economic activities which include maritime shipping, the construction and repair of ships, port infrastructure and services, coastal tourism, fisheries and aquaculture, and generation of renewable energy offshore.
“Others are seabed mining; underwater cabling; marine biotechnology (in support of the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors); maritime education, research, and consultancy services; protection and restoration of marine habitats; water desalination and waste disposal.
He, however, called on academic institutions across the country to work together with the government to harness the numerous potential inherent in the nation’s ocean and coastal resources
“The Marine and Blue Economy represents a blue gold mine of entrepreneurial opportunities for African entrepreneurs and researchers.
“By harnessing innovation, embracing sustainability, and fostering collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector, we can create a thriving marine and blue economy that contributes significantly to Nigeria’s sustainable development.
“The Marine and Blue Economy represents a frontier of immense potential for Nigeria and indeed, all of Africa.
” It is a sector that, if harnessed correctly, can drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute significantly to our national and continental GDP”, the Minister said.
The minister, further stated that the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of the beloved nation.
According to him, the sector offered scope for innovation, sustainable growth, and fruitful entrepreneurial paths, saying the economic prospects offered by our blue economy are substantial and remarkable.
Other dignitaries at the Conference were the Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Adebayo Someone Banire, Director-General, National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola and Dr. Richard Akinola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister.
Nigeria has an expansive coastline of 853 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean and a maritime area of 46,000 square kilometers within the Gulf of Guinea.
Its marine resources are both vast and varied. Our exclusive economic zone spans over 200 nautical miles, achieving a recent extension of 16,300 square kilometers – approximately five times the size of Lagos State.
“Additionally, Nigeria features an extensive resource of inland waterways, with the potential to support an intra-regional trade sphere through a length of 10,000 kilometers.
“Strategically situated navigational routes link Africa with North and South America, Europe, and Asia, making the maritime sector a crucial catalyst of our nation’s economy.
“Thus, the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of our beloved nation, offering scope for innovation, sustainable growth, and fruitful entrepreneurial paths. The economic prospects offered by our blue economy are substantial and remarkable.”
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