ECCAS PLADE FOR A RELANCE OF YAUNDE ARCHITECTURE

ECCAS PLADE FOR A RELANCE OF YAUNDE ARCHITECTURE

Yaoundé 16 May 2026 (Republic of Cameroon) – The Chairman of the Commission of ECCAS, Dr. Ezekiel NIBIGIRA, called for the strengthening of regional cooperation and the revitalization of maritime security mechanisms in the Gulf of Guinea, at the opening of the 5th Annual Meeting of Senior Officials of the Yaoundé Architecture.

Speaking at this session of ECCAS, ECOWAS and the GCC, the Chairman of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States stressed the strategic importance of the Gulf of Guinea for African and global economies. He recalled that nearly 90 per cent of world trade through the sea and that the area was a major energy corridor thanks to its oil production and heavy shipping traffic recorded daily.

Persistent threats despite progress

In his speech, Dr. Ezekiel Nibigira welcomed the progress made in recent years in combating maritime piracy and robbing in the Gulf of Guinea. According to him, the statistics reveal a significant decrease in incidents thanks to the joint efforts of Member States and international partners.

However, he warned that threats remained a concern, including piracy, kidnapping for ransom, drug trafficking, illegal fishing and sabotage of marine facilities. In particular, he indicated that nearly 40 per cent of the region ' s fisheries resources would be exploited illegally, resulting in economic losses estimated at over US$2 billion annually.

The Chairman of the ECCAS Commission stressed the need to maintain constant vigilance and to continuously adapt the response mechanisms to the changing modus operandi of criminal groups operating in the regional maritime space.

Towards a revitalization of the Interregional Coordination Centre

Returning to the Yaoundé Architecture and the Code of Conduct adopted in 2013, Dr. Ezekiel NIBIGIRA recalled that an assessment of maritime safety measures had been carried out after more than ten years of implementation. The evaluation identified both the achievements and shortcomings, including funding, governance, information sharing and operational capacity-building.

He commended the support of the United Nations system, including UNOCA, UNOWAS and UNODC, in the conduct of this evaluation, the recommendations of which will shortly be submitted to governmental experts prior to their consideration by the Heads of State and Government of the organizations concerned.

The Chairman of the ECCAS Commission also called for an effective relaunch of the Yaoundé-based Interregional Coordination Centre (ICC) with adequate financial, human and material resources. He also called for the establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism to ensure the autonomy and effectiveness of the ICC in the implementation of the regional maritime security strategy.

A call to strengthen regional cooperation

Closing his statement, the Chairman of the ECCAS Commission reaffirmed the commitment of regional organizations to the promotion of a safe and stable Gulf of Guinea, which is essential for the development of a sustainable blue economy for the benefit of the States of the region.

Finally, he welcomed the participation of ECOWAS and CGG officials in the meeting and expressed the hope that the work of Yaoundé would lead to concrete progress towards maritime security and regional integration.