The President of Sao Tome and Principe and Vice President of Gambia were the last leaders to leave Yaounde June 26. Hard times surely await pirates, kidnappers, armed robbers and other perpetrators acts of insecurity

Hard times surely await pirates, kidnappers, armed robbers and other perpetrators acts of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea maritime space following the commitment of leaders of the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS, Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, GGC to put into concrete action decisions taken during the Yaounde June 24 to 25, 2013 summit on maritime safety and security in the zone.

Most Heads of States, leading delegations of their respective countries, expressed the determination to put the strategies contained in the Yaounde Declaration, Memorandum of Understanding and communiqué of the summit shortly before their departure from the Yaounde- Nsimalen International Airport. The last Head of State to leave the airport at 12:50 yesterday, June 26, 2013 aboard a 3C-QQH plane was the President of Sao Tome and Principe, Manuel Pinto da Costa. He was seen off by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang in the presence of the Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, among other officials.

In a short airport interview, Manuel Pinto da Costa said, "All the Heads of State are committed to translate into concrete action the strategies adopted to fight against insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea maritime space." He further said they are committed to provide part of their countries' national budgets to help carry out the fight. Manuel Pinto da Costa said the Yaounde Summit was a success because the participating countries discussed combat strategies against piracy and other illicit activities in the sea and created an Inter-regional Centre in Yaounde to coordinate joint actions. The President of Sao Tome and Principe left Cameroon early in the afternoon with a picture album of the Yaounde Summit. Prime Minister Philemon Yang handed to him the album at the foot of the plane.

The Vice President of the Gambia, Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy on her part left the Yaounde- Nsimalen International Airport shortly before 8:00 a.m. She was seen off by Cameroon's Minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family, Abena Ondoa née Obama Marie Thérèse who also welcomed her when she arrived for the summit on June 23, 2013. Before boarding the plane, she said it was a good move because of the documents discussed and signed insisting that, "Without peace and security, we cannot talk about development." She said, "I commend our Heads of State. The Head of State of Gambia gives a lot of importance to peace and security." The Gambian Vice President urged the Gulf of Guinea zone leaders to fight insecurity as a means of creating employment for youths in Africa.

Emmanuel KENDEMEH