Defence Ministers from Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Soa Tome and Principe have inaugurated the headquarters of the joint maritime surveillance centre for security in the Gulf of Guinea in
Douala.
The multinational centre for the coordination of operation by the four countries of the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS has the task of planning and coordinating operations intended to combat piracy in the Gulf in Guinea. Officials of the four member states; Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe earlier signed an accord putting in place the multinational control centre for security in the Gulf of Guinea. The deal stroke by ECCAS member state to improve security in the Gulf has been hailed by observers as a major step towards cracking down of pirates who have been operating in the area with impunity. The Deputy Secretary General of the Economic Community of Central African States, Egidio De Souza, described the move putting in place a multi-national patrol team in the Gulf of Guinea as a concrete move towards sub regional integration. Egidio De Souza accompanied by Secretary of State for Defence in charge of the Gendarmerie, Jean-Baptiste Bokam, defence officials from Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and the Governor of the Littoral had an inaugural sail across the gulf in a bid to confirm the efficiency of the surveillance installations.
Elvis Teke CRTV
