| Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua Thursday renewed his call for the speedy setting up of a Gulf of Guinea Guard Force tasked with ensuring the security of offshore oil facilities in the region, a statement said.
The Nigerian presidency said Yar’Adua made the call during a meeting with his Equatorial Guinea counterpart, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who was on a one-day visit to Abuja. The 8-member Gulf of Guinea Commission was set up in 2006 to handle and mediate disputes over oil exploration and aquatic resources. It comprises Angola, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sao Tome and Principe. Last month, after meeting Obiang on the sidelines of an African Union summit, Yar’Adua said he had discussed the proposed force with US President George W. Bush during a recent visit to the United States and hoped that Washington would assist with training and logistics. The commission members are due to meet at ministerial level to work out how to set up the force. Their proposals will then be ratified by the respective heads of state. According to the statement, Yar’Adua said Nigeria will respond positively to a request by Equatorial Guinea for more bilateral cooperation, both on security matters and in other areas. Equatorial Guinea has expressed concern over attacks by Nigerian armed groups on offshore installations. |
Apr112008