ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security says “Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains widespread in our region, causing an estimated loss of more than $2 billion per year, which has a negative impact on the livelihoods and security of our countries.”
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah made the statement at the opening of the technical meeting of Member States’ Experts on the issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated, (IUU) fishing in West Africa, which began Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The work of this meeting was officially launched by Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources of Côte d’Ivoire, Sidi Tiémoko Toure.
Around 50 experts from ECOWAS Member States and the Commission, as well as regional organizations dealing with environmental protection and fisheries issues, are meeting from March 18-21, 2025 in Abidjan to discuss the issue of IUU fishing in West Africa. The work of this meeting follows a recommendation of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, which at its 65th Ordinary Session, held in Abuja in July 2024, instructed the ECOWAS Commission to put in place a strengthened framework for the fight against IUU fishing and to initiate discussions with external partners with a view to combating IUU fishing and the dumping of toxic materials associated with it in the regional maritime domain.
The opening ceremony of this meeting was marked by three different speeches. Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of State Action at Sea (SEPCIM),Fofana Abroulaye, the Director of Administration and Legal Affairs, Colonel Kouadio Aké José Nicole recalled that IUU fishing represents a serious threat to our maritime resources and undermines not only the integrity of our oceans but also the food security and livelihoods of millions of citizens in our region.
After thanking the authorities of Côte d’Ivoire on behalf of Omar Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission for their continued support to the programs implemented by ECOWAS, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah recalled the importance of this meeting and maritime security for the growth of the sub-regional economy.
“The maritime sector is undoubtedly one of the driving forces of the economy of our region. It is therefore obvious that the implementation of structured investments and the development of a regional IUU code will guide our priority action plan. Threats related to IUU fishing, which constitute an obstacle to the ECOWAS regional integration agenda, peace and security, affect overall economic growth and development and compromise the livelihoods of coastal communities,” concluded the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
