"The prevention and suppression of illegal maritime activities is complex but crucial"

Can you tell us more about GoGIN's support for defining the legal framework in Cabo Verde?

The legal assessment conducted in Cabo Verde at the beginning of May (7-11) aims to support the implementation of the objectives of the Yaoundé architecture of 2013 and to complement the current work of UNODC in prevention and suppression of illegal maritime activities. The assessment was guided by recent statistics on the main illegal activities in the maritime areas under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of Cabo Verde, from which it has been highlighted the importance of drug trafficking and illegal fishing.

The evaluation is based on four main objectives:

• Assessing the degree of implementation of the major international instruments against drug trafficking, piracy and other illicit acts of violence affecting the safety of shipping, transnational organized crime and illegal fishing;

• Evaluating the internal regime establishing the scope of the State's jurisdictions (ratione loci and ratione personae);

• Describing the system of sanctions;

• Making an inventory of the organization and relations between the different maritime authorities, the current investigation and prosecution system and the decision system.

You have started legal audits, jointly led with UNODC. What are your first feedbacks and what are the next steps?

The legal assessment in Cabo Verde has been successfully conducted. Responding to strong expectations from the national authorities, meetings and consultations were particularly fruitful. Outputs and conclusions are now awaited with interest by the national authorities.

After taking into account the elements of the UNODC, the first version of the evaluation report issued by GoGIN will be submitted to the authorities of Cabo Verde consulted during the mission, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Economy, the Coast Guard, the Maritime Police. From there, the final report will be drafted, before being officially presented to the national authorities by GoGIN and UNODC.

The recommendations contained in the report will then serve as a basis for strengthening the entire legal system in the prevention and suppression of illegal maritime activities.
 

Read also: Maritime security: legal audits in 5 Guinea Gulf States
 

Why adaptation of national legislation on maritime safety among ECOWAS coastal states is necessary?

Strengthening the legal systems of Contracting Parties to ECOWAS, with capacity building, is truly a key element in the fight against maritime crime in West Africa. Any loophole in the implementation of legal and judicial mechanisms is exploited by organized maritime crime, and foster its proliferation. In particular, where the lack of international police and judicial cooperation is prevalent and conflicting legal systems are in place, all the parameters are there to provide endemic impunity and promote the escalation of crime, poverty and instability in the region. The work to be done to improve the prevention and suppression of illegal maritime activities is complex but crucial both for the population of West Africa in the first place and indirectly for the European Union. It is deeply rooted in the learning process of the GoGIN project.

For more information on the project, follow the @GoGIN_Project thread  or visit the GoGIN - Gulf of Guinea Inter-Regional Network website.