Ghana has begun working together with countries that share the Atlantic space to ensure that the increasing incidents of piracy, oil theft, trafficking and smuggling of drugs, arms and people and unlawful dumping of hazardous waste in the sea is reduced to the barest minimum.
This assurance was given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey at the Ministerial Meeting on strengthening the Atlantic Cooperation in New York.
The US on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York led an initiative of 18 countries including Ghana, Senegal, Britain, Canada, Spain, and Norway among others to step up cooperation in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey described the initiative as timely and Ghana welcomes the objectives that seek to protect the marine environment and to ensure sustainable exploitation of marine resources.
However, the foreign minister added that “coastlines and territorial waters are equally fraught with all manner of dangers and insecurity that threaten our peace, stability, progress and the prosperity of our Countries.” She and Ghana, as part of its priorities as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has promoted multilateral action on the many other challenges that nations in the Atlantic Zone faces. To her, the increasing incidence of piracy and other criminal activities such as oil theft; trafficking and smuggling of drugs, arms and people; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), unlawful dumping of hazardous waste in the waters and perpetration of other environmental crimes comes at great cost to the people and economies around the world. Ghana’s top diplomat was upbeat that a Joint Statememt by states that form the Atlantic Cooperation will launch a process leading to a structured framework for capitalizing on mutually beneficial opportunities for cooperation, including through existing regional, sub-regional and inter-regional mechanisms.
US SECRETARY FOR DEFENSE
On his part, the US Secretary for Defense, Anthony Blinken said the US will devote another $100 million next year to the effort, in addition to around $400 million already spent each year on maritime initiatives in the Atlantic. He was hopeful that the additional investment coupled with commitments and cooperation of countries that share the Atlantic will go a long to preserve the marine ecosystem and enhance lives of people who depend on the ocean.
UN REPORT
According to the UN, one in five fish caught in the Atlantic comes from illegal fishing, translating into losses of up to $23 billion per year. That harms coastal communities that rely on sustainable fish stocks for food and income. It fuels corruption and threatens the health and biodiversity of the oceans. Experts say the countries that border the Atlantic cannot take for granted the free and open maritime trade that employs so many people, the undersea cables that connect the world, the fish stocks and wildlife that sustain the world.
