The Interoperability Coordination Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Maritime Zones is scheduled to hold in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from Wednesday, 5th to Friday, 7th September, 2018, to initiate and formalize appropriate nomination of staff positions for the West African Regional Maritime Security Coordination Centre (CRESMAO) as well as the Zones F and G Maritime Multinational Coordination Centres (MMCCs).

During the 3-day meeting, participants including representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and relevant maritime related Ministries, Departments and Agencies are also expected to, among others, discuss Interoperability Coordination objectives and functional dynamics of CRESMAO and Maritime Centres.

The Interoperability Coordination meeting, which is derived from the framework of the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS) as a mechanism to respond to the numerous maritime criminalities in the region and the Gulf of Guinea at large, seeks to address the immediate need to implement the provisions of the EIMS Architecture.

Since the adoption of the EIMS by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in 2014, only the Pilot Zone E center comprising four Member States namely Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Togo with operational base in Cotonou, Benin Republic, has been established, staffed and inaugurated.

The Regional and Maritime Centres are key mechanisms in the wider scope of the fight against Maritime criminalities in the region as well as a platform for collaboration with other existing initiatives at regional, continental and global levels.

The Abidjan meeting is being organized by the ECOWAS Commission with the support of the 10th European Development Fund within the framework of the implementation of the European Union support to ECOWAS regional Peace, Security and Stability mandate programme (ECOWAS-EU PSS).