By Felix Coffie
The 4th International Maritime Defense Conference has officially opened in Accra with a strong call for African nations to embrace technology, innovation, and coordinated action in the fight against maritime insecurity.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on the theme “Securing Africa’s Maritime Future,” Chief of Staff Julius Debrah described the conference as a “collective call to action” for African governments and defense stakeholders to prioritize maritime security.
“This conference is more than a dialogue, it is a call to action,” Mr. Debrah said. “Technology and innovation must be central to current maritime security strategies. Africa must speak with a unified voice to protect its maritime borders and formulate robust strategies to secure our territorial waters.”
The conference, which has drawn over 200 delegates from more than 20 countries, aims to forge partnerships, promote intelligence sharing, and highlight the critical role of maritime stability in regional security and economic development.
Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu (represented by Rear Admiral Livinus Bessing), warned of persistent threats in the Gulf of Guinea, describing it as one of the world’s most dangerous maritime regions due to piracy, armed robbery, and illicit trafficking.
“Armed attacks on vessels remain high, and the recent abduction of a Ghanaian fishing vessel highlights the urgency for stronger coordination among member states,” Rear Admiral Bessing said.
He emphasized that the role of technology in maritime security cannot be overstated, calling for stakeholders to move “from commitment to implementation” to address both emerging threats and evolving challenges in African waters.
Also addressing the gathering, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, revealed that her ministry has suspended the licenses of four commercial fishing vessels for engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“We are stepping up surveillance with more vessels patrolling our maritime borders,” she said. “Collaboration among stakeholders is critical to combat emerging crimes along our coastlines, including IUU fishing, piracy, and trafficking.”
She further emphasized that protecting Ghana’s maritime space requires a multi-sectoral approach, bringing together defense, fisheries, customs, and regional partners.
The conference continues over the next two days and includes sessions on naval strategy, regional cooperation, surveillance systems, and marine law enforcement. It aims to produce actionable frameworks for enhancing maritime domain awareness and boosting Africa’s maritime defense capacity.
Organizers hope that the conference will serve not just as a forum for dialogue, but as a launchpad for sustained collaboration and regional innovation, ensuring that Africa secures not only its waters but its economic and strategic future.
