Japanese Government Provides US $ 260,000 to Fight Piracy and Kidnapping – Nigeria – The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

The Japanese government has provided $ 260,000 to combat piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

The Team Leader of the UN Development Program (UNDP) for Governance, Peace and Security, Mr. Matthew Alao, said this on Monday at the opening ceremony of a two-week first course on anti-piracy held by the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Center (MLAILPKC) in Jaji, Kaduna.

Alao said that of the funds allocated to the project, $ 98,350 was allocated to the anti-piracy course, the main objective of which was to curb the piracy threat in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

The Nigeria News Agency (NAN) reports that 16 coastal countries that lie along the Gulf of Guinea include Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Ghana , São Tomé and Principe, Togo and Sierra Leone.

“The need for this project cannot be overstated, as around 90 percent of annual kidnapping incidents worldwide take place in GoG and pirate operations in the region are becoming more sophisticated.

“These pirate activities pose serious threats to trade and businesses along the corridor and are holding back the economies of GoG countries, particularly Nigeria.

“These gloomy prospects require concerted action by the multilateral and development partners as well as the GoG countries in order to reduce the influence and activities of piracy for more security, peace and sustainable development in the region.

“The published report on the causes of piracy in GoG will contribute to evidence-based programmatic and policy interventions by GoG countries and development partners aimed at reducing marine crime in the region,” he said.

According to him, the publication already informed about the development of the curriculum for the anti-piracy course, which will be used to conduct the course.

“This also helps to strengthen the capabilities of MLAILPKC and to expand its mandate to conduct courses to combat piracy, thus helping to reduce the influence of piracy in GoG.

“The Japanese government and other like-minded partners are encouraged to invest more in projects that limit the activities of these pirates in order to promote security, peace, economic progress and stability in the region.

“This should include targeted investments that have a positive impact on the livelihoods and income-generating activities of residents of GoG coastal communities,” said Alao.

He thanked the Government of Japan for determining the need to invest in the project and for maintaining a strong partnership with UNDP Nigeria.

He also commended the center’s commander and his predecessor, Maj. Gen. James Ataguba, for the proper guidance and guidance required for the effective and timely implementation of the project.

Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria Matsunaga Kazuyoshi also said that countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States are working with the Nigerian government on security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Speaking over a taped video, Kazuyoshi noted that the Japanese government is committed to contributing to West Africa’s security and protecting people’s lives through a variety of measures, including capacity building for maritime security personnel .

“This project is one of Japan’s contributions to capacity building. We hope that through the knowledge the 30 participants will acquire, the training will improve the safety of the Gulf of Guinea.

“The project also falls under the category of“ Support for the Stabilization of Conflict Regions ”, which is one of the three main areas of Japan’s“ New Concept for Peace and Stability in Africa ”, the so-called“ NAPSA ”initiatives, which were announced in 2019.

“This is also a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) project, an initiative of the Japanese government to build a rules-based international order, free trade, freedom of navigation and the rule of law, all of which” are essential principles for achieving regional stability and prosperity.

“The total volume of trade between Nigeria, Africa’s economic powerhouse, and Japan is one billion US dollars a year. Against this background, ensuring maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea is an important trade hub in West Africa that is needed to promote bilateral trade. ” he said.

He said that research on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, published in August as part of the project, found that the main cause of piracy was economic and employment difficulties.

“Japan and Nigeria are far apart, but we are connected by sea, so as a true friend of Nigeria you can say that Nigeria’s business is Japan’s business,” said Kazuyoshi.

He assured everyone that the government of Japan, in cooperation with other countries, would continue to contribute to the peace and stability of the GoG for the livelihood of Nigerians and to regional economic stability.
Earlier, MLAILPKC Commander Maj. Gen. Auwal Fagge said the center has a responsibility to provide realistic training to potential peacekeepers and leaders on the multidimensional challenges of contemporary peace support operations and security challenges.

He noted that education was essential to performance and overall success in this area and in other areas of endeavor in general.

“Piracy in particular has become increasingly sophisticated, particularly with the influx of small ams and light weapons (SALW) into the hands of pirates, non-state actors and other criminals on the waterways and at sea,” he said.

He also noted that the research and curriculum for the Anti-Piracy Course I from 2021 had been successfully completed or further developed.

“The aim of the course is to train members of the armed forces, employees of national maritime organizations and relevant authorities as well as relevant interest groups from the GoG states in anti-piracy strategies.

“The course is a two-week program with intensive presentations and practical exercises designed to provide security personnel and other relevant stakeholders with an understanding of the intricacies of piracy, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea,” said Fagge.

He praised the Japanese government for supporting the center and UNDP for promoting the project.
He urged participants to actively participate and make a positive contribution during the course.

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