,,iii #aac? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #bhh ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,novemb] #f1 #bjac,mr4 ,flake 7= himself & ,mr4 ,coons7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,relations ,,resolution ,support+ enhanc$ m>itime security 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea & enc\rag+ increas$ coop]ation betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ,we/ & ,c5tral ,african c\ntries to fight arm$ robb]y at sea1 piracy1 & o!r m>itime ?reats4 ,:]eas1 al?\gh ! numb] ( arm$ robb]y at sea & piracy attacks worldwide dropp$ sub/antially 9 rec5t ye>s1 su* acts 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea are increas+1 ) m ?an #dj report$ ?r\gh ,octob] #bjac & _m m go+ unreport$2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates import$ m ?an #cae1jjj1jjj b>rels ( oil ?r\gh ! region 9 #bjab1 & ,unit$ ,/ates bus9esses h ext5sive fix$ assets 9 ! region t are important to ,unit$ ,/ates en]gy security2 ,:]eas ! nature ( attacks 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea demon/rates an ongo+ patt]n ( c>go !fts & robb]y1 (t5 occurr+ 9 ! t]ritorial wat]s ( ,we/ & ,c5tral ,african /ates2 ,:]eas !re are c\ntries 9 ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa t are susceptible to acts ( arm$ robb]y at sea & piracy t lack adequate law en=cem5t & naval capabilities to /op or det] su* attacks2 ,:]eas acts ( m>itime crime raise ! co/s & risks ( trade & comm]ce 9 ,africa & beyond because ! security ( vessels1 crews1 & c>goes _c be gu>ante$2 ,:]eas %ipp+ insurance premiums increase aft] su* attacks1 & 9 s do+1 create dis9c5tives = local1 regional1 & int]national inve/ors & companies seek+ to d bus9ess 9 ! region2 ,:]eas imports provide indisp5sable goods & s]vices = ! p ( ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa1 g5]ate port fees & cu/oms duties = _! gov]nm5ts1 & are ess5tial 9 spurr+ economic gr[? & developm5t 9 ! region2 ,:]eas ! ,u4,s4 ,/rategy ,t[>d ,sub-,sah>an ,africa issu$ by ,presid5t ,b>ack ,obama 9 ,june #bjab /ates1 8,x is 9 ! int]e/ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to improve ! region's trade competitiv5ess1 enc\rage ! div]sification ( exports beyond natural res\rces1 & ensure t ! b5efits f gr[? are broad-bas$402 ,:]eas a vibrant trade relation%ip betwe5 ,africa & its p>tn]s1 includ+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 c lead to exp&$ economic opportunities t c spur competition1 raise productivity1 & facilitate job creation 9 ! economies ( all p>ticipat+ c\ntries2 ,:]eas ! ,african ,union1 9 collaboration ) num]\s (ficial & nongov]nm5tal /akehold]s1 develop$ ! 8#bjej ,africa's ,integrat$ ,m>itime ,security0 /rategy 7! #bjej ,,aim ,,/rategy7 :i* seeks 8to address cont5d+1 em]g+ & future m>itime *all5ges & opportunities 9 ,africa ''' ) a cle> focus on enhanc$ weal? creation f a su/a9able gov]nance ( ,africa's oceans & seas02 ,:]eas ! ,african ,union's #bjej ,,aim ,,/rategy seeks to combat 8div]se illegal activities :i* include ''' arms & drug traffick+1 human traffick+ & smuggl+1 piracy1 & arm$ robb]y at sea01 among o!r objectives2 ,:]eas ! ,june #bd-be1 #bjac1 meet+ ( ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea ,m>itime ,security ,heads ( ,/ate ,summit held 9 ,cam]oon m>k$ ! culm9ation ( a ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t-support$ ,economic ,communities ( ,c5tral ,african ,/ates 7,,eccas7 & ,economic ,community ( ,we/ ,african ,/ates 7,,ec[as7-l$ initiative & process t produc$ an approv$ ,,ec[as-,,eccas ,memor&um ( ,und]/&+ = regional coop]ation1 & adopt$ a ,gulf ( ,gu9ea ,code ( ,conduct to address m>itime crime & a ,heads ( ,/ate ,political ,decl>ation2 ,:]eas ,,ec[as & ,,eccas /ates are work+ to coop]ate & build _! jo9t capacities 9 ord] to increase m>itime security 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea & are work+ to a*ieve ?is goal ) su* p>tn]s z ! ,unit$ ,nations ,(fices = ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa1 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea ,commission1 ! ,int]national ,m>itime ,organization1 ! ,m>itime ,organization = ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa1 & ! ,african ,union2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea has focus$ on enc\rag+ multi-lay]$ regional & national own]%ip 9 develop+ su/a9able capacity build+ ef=ts1 includ+ work+ ) p>tn]s ?r\gh ! ,g#h ,fri5ds ( ,gulf ( ,gu9ea ,gr\p1 to coord9ate ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t m>itime security activities 9 ! region2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t has assi/$ ! c\ntries ( ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa to enhance regional m>itime security ?r\gh programs su* z ! 8,african ,p>tn]%ip ,/ation01 op]at$ by ,unit$ ,/ates ,naval ,=ces ,africa 8to build m>itime safety & security by increas+ m>itime aw>5ess1 response capabilities & infra/ructure01 & ! 8,african ,m>itime ,law ,en=cem5t ,p>tn]%ip01 :i* 8enables ,african p>tn] nations to build m>itime security capacity & improve managem5t ( _! m>itime environm5t ?r\gh real _w law en=cem5t op]ations1 & ?r\gh provision ( div]se types ( tra9+ & equipm5t assi/ance & p>ticipation 9 div]se regional m>itime milit>y ex]cises01 z well z by employ+ analytical tools su* z ! ,m>itime ,security ,sector ,re=m ,guide2 & ,:]eas ,unit$ ,nations ,security ,c\ncil ,resolution #bjci1 8express+ its deep conc]n ab\t ! ?reat t piracy & arm$ robb]y at sea 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea pose to int]national navigation1 security & ! economic developm5t ( /ates 9 ! region01 0 unanim\sly adopt$ on ,febru>y #bi1 #bjab3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 condemns acts ( arm$ robb]y at sea1 piracy1 & o!r m>itime crime 9 ! ,gulf ( ,gu9ea2 7#b7 endorses & supports ! ef=ts made by ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t ag5cies to assi/ affect$ ,we/ & ,c5tral ,african c\ntries to build capacity to combat arm$ robb]y at sea1 piracy1 & o!r m>itime ?reats1 & enc\rages ! ,presid5t to cont9ue su* assi/ance1 z appropriate1 )9 res\rce con/ra9ts2 & 7#c7 comm5ds ! ,african ,union1 subregional entities su* z ! ,,ec[as & ,,eccas1 & ! v>i\s int]national ag5cies t h work$ to develop policy & program frameworks = enhanc+ m>itime security 9 ,we/ & ,c5tral ,africa1 & enc\rages ^! entities & _! memb] /ates to cont9ue to build ^u ^! & o!r ef=ts to a*ieve t end4