In the framework of the Italian Presidency of the G7, an informal meeting of the G7++ Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea took place in Rome on December 2 and 3.
The Group was established in 2013 to support regional cooperation mechanisms in the field of maritime security and capacity building of the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea to combat piracy, illegal fishing and other illicit activities, such as pollution, trafficking in human beings, drugs and weapons.
The event took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and was attended by Senior Officials from various countries and organizations in the region of the Gulf of Guinea, international partners, including UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and the European Union. The meeting focused on the evolution of maritime security challenges in the region, the strengthening of support mechanisms for regional actors, the contribution of international partners, as well as future prospects of the process.
The program of the event included a visit of the Headquarters of the Italian Navy Fleet Command, where the delegations had the opportunity to see a concrete example of a maritime traffic control center.
