Maritime security: Cameroon adopts a law for the repression of piracy, terrorism and attacks against the safety of maritime navigation and platforms

 

Entitled “Law No. 2022/017 of December 27, 2022 on the repression of piracy, terrorism and attacks against the safety of maritime navigation and platforms”, this law fills the existing gap and provides the country with a legal framework to punish any illegal act perpetrated against the safety of maritime navigation and platforms.

According to Mr. Olivier Kenhago Tazo, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Cameroon in Brussels and Specialist in peace and security issues with a focus on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, “This law is inspired not only by the Montego-Bay Convention, but also by the 2012 CEMAC Code and the Yaoundé Code of Conduct on the prevention and repression of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea.

This law provides for, among other things, penalties ranging from the penalties provided for in the Criminal Code to life imprisonment with fines ranging from 10 million to more than 2 billion FCFA.

The 2021 annual report of the MICA Center reported a sharp decline in the number of incidents (piracy, maritime robbery, etc.) in the Gulf of Guinea with only one robbery act at anchor in Douala. This already confirmed the effectiveness of the measures taken by the Cameroonian authorities.

“This progress, which gives concrete expression to the decisions of the 2013 Yaoundé Summit, comes at a time when the sub region is organizing the first maritime conference, proof that this issue remains a priority on the agenda of the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea,” said Minister-Counselor Kenhago Tazo.

Click here to read the full text of the law

By Pascaline Odoubourou