A Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum (GOG MCF/SHADE) has recently been set up. A  joint Communique issued by NIMASA and ICC Yaounde, is attached below at Annex A. 

The GOG MCF/SHADE will focus on counter-piracy and armed robbery by bringing together regional, international, industry and NGO partners to advance and coordinate near term maritime activities with a view to working toward a set of common operational objectives in order to protect seafarers and ships operating off the coast of West and Central Africa. 

The formation of the forum is a significant step towards a coordinated response to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG), and is an initiative for which ICS and other industry associations have lobbied for consistently. It is to be hoped that all parties with an interest in countering piracy in the GOG take part in the forum and that it mirrors the success of the original SHADE meetings which contributed so significantly to the suppression of Somali pirate gangs. ICS fully intends to participate in the forum.