West African leaders have called for the deployment of an international naval force to curb the growing threat of piracy off the Gulf of Guinea.
Piracy in the region needed to be tackled with “firmness,” Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara said at a meeting of regional leaders.
There are now more pirate attacks off West Africa than off Somalia, maritime groups said last week. Patrols by foreign warships are credited with reducing attacks by Somali pirates.
Reporter
- Mike Thomson, BBC foreign affairs correspondent. He tweet @ThomsonRadio.
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