Dr Dayo Mobereola, Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), has assured the international community of the Federal Government’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Atlantic region.
Mobereola stated this at the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Summit, a sideline session at the 2024 United Nations General Assembly in New York, chaired by the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.
This is contained in a statement made available in Lagos on Wednesday and signed by the Head, Public Relations Unit, NIMASA, Mr Edward Osagie.
Mobereola said that the Atlantic region should be explored in a sustainable manner for the benefit of all the countries in the region.
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He said: “Nigeria’s participation in the Atlantic Cooperation has had a transformative effect on how our government is contributing to shaping acceptable global policies and agendas for a more secure, sustainable and prosperous Atlantic region.
“We recently organised an international workshop on Deep Sea-bed activities, where our government reaffirmed its commitment to develop a legal and regulatory framework for deep-sea mining, driving sustainable economic growth.
“Nigeria is also working closely with critical developmental partners such as the United States, the European Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations to protect its coastline.
“And also to ensure the safe passage of goods and people, promoting regional economic integration.”
Mobereola also engaged participants on Nigeria’s unique perspectives on funding, governance complexity and technological advancement amongst other issues.
He gave an assurance that Nigeria under the current administration would focus on developing a virile Marine and Blue Economy industry.
Also speaking, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who chaired the session, noted that the Atlantic Ocean was vital to every nation of the world.
Blinken stated that all countries bordering the ocean had direct stake in this joint venture.
“Together, we’re fostering greater connections and coordination between our governments, our civil societies, private sectors, and our scientific communities – laying the groundwork to find and to share solutions to these joint challenges.
“We’re helping one another harness new technologies to address common threats,” Blinken said.
He noted that since its launch, the Atlantic partnership had grown to 42 members, representing more than 75 per cent of the Atlantic coastline.
Blinken said that countries from Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and the Caribbean participated at the session to address shared challenges, promote common solutions and advance collective principles.
He said that members endorsed a declaration on Atlantic Cooperation promising engagement on the basis of international law, existing national and international legal framework and their primary interest.
