CONAKRY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Guinean government on Wednesday launched work to delimit the country's maritime borders, according to an official source.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization and the National Boundary Commission, aims to strengthen surveillance of Guinea's maritime space, particularly with regard to the exploitation and protection of the country's fisheries and mineral resources.
It will also help enhance the security of communities living along the country's coastline, which stretches for more than 300 km.
"Maritime borders are one of the fundamental expressions of state sovereignty," said Cheick Sidya Diabate, executive secretary of the National Boundary Commission, adding that they constitute a space for security, cooperation, economic development and the protection of national interests.
He stressed that the management and security of maritime space are of major strategic importance, saying the delimitation of maritime borders should be carried out with method, rigor, expertise and responsibility.
The delimitation operation will assess the legal status of Guinea's maritime borders and help compile and safeguard national geospatial and maritime data, said Djenabou Toure, minister of territorial administration and decentralization.
The minister said the operation would also involve defining the technical cartographic work and continuing diplomatic dialogue and consultations with the neighboring states concerned.
Meanwhile, the National Boundary Commission said the work will help combat maritime crime and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, while safeguarding national territorial integrity and marine biodiversity. ■