KAIPTC & Danish Gov’t train media practitioners on Maritime Security Reporting
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) is organising a Maritime Security Reporting (MSR) Pilot Course for media and maritime security professionals this week.
The Maritime Security Reporting course is being organized with funding from the Government of Denmark, through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The course opened on Monday, May 22, in Takoradi and will run throughout the week before it climaxes on Friday, May 26.
The course forms part of the five-year project on “Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Domain in West and Central Africa (2022-2026)”.
The 5-year project being implemented by KAIPTC and the Danish government continues along the lines of enhanced research, dialogue, and capacity building from the previous project.
The project also broadly focuses on women and vulnerable groups in maritime security; strengthen inter-agency collaboration among maritime stakeholders, and building the capacities of media practitioners to effectively report on maritime security issues.
The aim of the Maritime Security Reporting Course is to enhance the capacity of selected journalists and media liaisons to understand, collaborate and report accurately on maritime issues and support efforts to reduce maritime criminality in the region
In his welcome address to mark the start of the course, Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane, the Commandant of KAIPTC underscored the importance of building the capacity of the media.
He acknowledged the power of the media while arguing that they need a critical understanding of maritime issues to properly report on the sector.
“I am sure by now, you all agree with me about the power of the media in amplifying stories, experiences, and events. This power ensures that media practitioners play a critical role in supporting transparency, accountability, and public awareness of maritime developments. They are key partners in maritime security, validating the work of maritime actors, such as state security agencies, maritime agencies, shipping lines, oil drilling companies, as well as acting as watchdogs on behalf of the public by analyzing and highlighting developments in the maritime domain. Yet, this ideal has been challenged by the complex and nuanced nature of the domain coupled with the limited capacity of journalists to fully appreciate the Gulf of Guinea maritime space.
“For journalists to achieve an intended impact in their maritime reportage, they need a critical understanding of the maritime issues at hand as well as harness relationships with maritime stakeholders in order to report accurate information, provide meaningful insights, and do so with professionalism. From a need that was shared in Takoradi and which resonated across the 5 targeted countries visited last year in our consultative visits, it is clear that media practitioners need to be brought on board to support current efforts at maritime security in the GoG,” Maj Gen Richard Addo said.
The KAIPTC Commandant in his remarks urged all participants to take full advantage of the pilot course to benefit from the unique opportunity of the Maritime Security Reporting Course.
In his concluding remarks, Maj Gen Richard Addo expressed appreciation to the Government of Denmark and the Inter-Regional Coordinating Centre (ICC) for their continuous support.
In his Keynote Address on day one of the week-long course, H.E. Tom Nørring, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana explained that the course was developed to enhance media practitioners' capacity to raise awareness about maritime crimes and educate the public about the severity and implications of these crimes.
He said through the training, the media should be able to provide accurate and timely maritime reporting to help dispel misconceptions and counter misinformation about maritime crimes and maritime security efforts.
Among other things, the course, according to H.E. Tom Nørring will resource the media to not only influence maritime security policy and strategy formulation by collecting and disseminating information about maritime crime trends, amongst others, but also support the monitoring and evaluation of maritime security efforts by both state and non-state actors, at the national and regional levels.
“It is our hope that this course will equip you all with the needed knowledge and skills to actively play your role as Media in the suppression of maritime crimes in the region,” H.E. Tom Nørring stressed.
In all 21 participants are taking part in the pilot course.
The pilot course for journalists and maritime security professionals this week will cover a number of modules including Introduction to the Blue Economy, Introduction to Maritime Security, Policy and Legal Frameworks on Maritime Security, Media and Maritime Security, Information Management in Maritime Security, Law and Ethics in Maritime Security Reporting, Coastal Communities and Maritime Security, Gender, Livelihoods and Maritime Security, Collaboration and Cooperation among maritime security stakeholders, and Scenario Based Exercises/Case Studies/Field visits.