Togolese Minister of Communication Guy Madje Lorenzo, during launching ceremony, said the network initiative will help African populations appropriate the spirit of African Union summit on maritime piracy issues and the blue economy in Africa scheduled to be held in October this year in Lome.
Lorenzo added it will help also popularize resolutions and recommendation of the Summit expected to secure and protect maritime activities for substantial economic returns from African sea resources.
Arimiyao Tchagnao, a journalist from Togo, has been elected chairman of the network executive board of thirteen members.
He said African countries have been facing, over the past few years, acute sea insecurity issues including maritime piracy, human, weapon and drug trafficking by sea.
“Statistics are horrifying. Gulf of Guinea experiences one maritime piracy act every week and illegal fishing represents the enormous loss of 10 to 23 billion US dollars for African countries”, Arimiyao Tchagnao said.
The chairman also said 75 percent of major global fisheries are over-exploited and are becoming depleted.
“Seas and oceans have become places where poisonous substances are discharged devastating marine fauna and flora”, he added.
He explained the main objective of the African journalists’ network for maritime security is to sensitize journalists and populations on topics related to sea.
Tchagnao added it is also to promote best practices intended to protect sea resources. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/News Ghana