SA ready to aid fight against crime at sea

SOUTH Africa reiterates that transnational organised crime at sea is a symptom of insecurity on land and the scourge can be fought only through concerted holistic action on both land and sea, a South African official said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Security Council Debate on “Transnational Organised Crime at Sea as a Threat to International Peace and Security,” Mxolisi Nkosi, deputy director-general for global governance and continental agenda of South Africa, said that the country fully supports the call for strengthening the capacity of member states’ maritime security in order to enforce international maritime law.

South Africa is a maritime country with a coastline of over 2800km, and an exclusive economic zone of 1.54 million square kilometres straddling the Indian and Atlantic oceans, which is larger than its land size. South Africa, therefore, remains concerned about the prevalence of transnational organised crime at sea, Nkosi said.

The link between transnational organised crime at sea and the threat it poses to the stability, security and economies of both coastal and landlocked states is visible and a matter of grave concern, Nkosi said.

Through its 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy, the AU seeks to rally member states to a co-ordinated and collaborative partnership that will foster wealth creation in a safe and secure African maritime domain, thus contributing to socio-economic development, the South African official said.

South Africa fully supports the call for strengthening the capacity of member states’ maritime security in order to enforce international maritime law, Nkosi said. |