New york: Angola's Permanent Representative to the UN, Francisco Jos© da Cruz, on Tuesday warned that maritime crime compromises coastal security, threatens stability, and hinders the development of the blue economy. The diplomat made this statement during a working lunch titled "Blue Crime: Lessons from the Atlantic on a Collective Challenge", stating that maritime crime encompasses illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, piracy, illicit trafficking, and environmental crimes.
According to Angola Press News Agency, these activities result in estimated annual losses of 10 billion US dollars in Africa, preventing coastal countries from capitalizing on their natural resources and affecting the safe flow of trade, which impacts regional and international security. Francisco Jos© da Cruz pointed out that international and regional efforts to combat these crimes remain fragmented due to governance gaps and institutional dispersion involving different regulatory bodies, border authorities, and international organizations.
The ambassador highlighted challenges relating to the legal framework, lamenting the absence of a unified regulatory framework that causes overlapping jurisdictions and areas of uncertainty, hindering the enforcement of the law. In his view, the lack of a global, harmonized legal framework for protecting the marine environment favors offenders, who enjoy a high degree of impunity.
To strengthen international cooperation, the Angolan representative presented three proposals, emphasizing the harmonization of legal frameworks between states to ensure more effective criminal prosecution and prevent offenders from escaping justice. He also advocated increased funding to support countries in acquiring technologies such as drones, satellite imagery, and advanced communication systems to strengthen response mechanisms.
The diplomat stressed the importance of multilateral agreements that permit joint maritime security operations in accordance with international law and respect for state sovereignty. He added that Angola has been actively participating in initiatives to respond to threats to maritime security, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea region. The diplomat reiterated the country's commitment to cooperating with international partners to combat maritime crime at national, regional, and global levels.
The meeting was a joint initiative of the permanent missions of Angola, Portugal, Gabon, and Uruguay and was attended by the Atlantic Centre, a multilateral platform for cooperation and capacity building in the Atlantic region.