MS P. ALEXANDRE
The African Integrated Maritime (AIM) Strategy 2050 and the Lomé Charter are undeniably laudable initiatives that have put blue economy and maritime security in the limelight as the “new front-line of Africa’s renaissance”. Yet, to date, the uptake and explicit implementation have been highly limited for both due to several challenges.
While the African maritime domain is the scene of salient evolutions in terms of maritime crime and threats, the African Union is not short of strategies, but lack actionable policies applicable at regional and national levels.
The African Union through its 2050 AIM Strategy emphasizes on the multidimensional aspect of maritime security and advocates a whole-of –Africa approach to maritime security sharing common goals. The emerging and fast evolving transnational crimes and threats, the overload of uncoordinated maritime initiatives based on increasingly complex geopolitical competition and the “lack of political will” by African countries demonstrate their interconnectedness and therefore the importance of developing a more holistic, human-centric approach, while ensuring regional and national ownership.
Considering limited implementation results, tapping on the achievements made by some States and regional organizations in the maritime security domain, who fostered a bottom-up approach should be explored and recognized.
Similarly, the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2719 in December 2023 on the use of assessed contributions by the United Nations to support peace operations led by the African Union has the potential to revitalize peace operations inland, generate sustainable African-led maritime operations and further repositioned AU as the leader that can no longer be ignored.
But will this new development be enough to move the African maritime security agenda forward? The question of who is really responsible for African maritime security still remains unanswered.
NAVY CAPT C.S. ATONFACK GUEMO
The Gulf of Guinea is characterized by the growing importance of the sea. This space, sometimes said to be vital for maritime navigation and which is bursting with maritime treasures, with numerous strategic infrastructures, has for a long time faced numerous challenges. To address this, and failing to successfully implement effective individual solutions, the neighbouring States of the two regional blocs concerned, in particular the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), in addition to the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), are pooling resources in accordance with Resolutions 2018 (31 October 2011) and 2039 (29 February 2012) of the United Nations Security Council, to create the Interregional Coordination Centre on Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea (ICC), following the Yaounde Summit of 24 June and 25 June 2013. Inaugurated on 11 September 2014, the Centre went operational on 22 February 2017, with the installation of its statutory staff.
The Centre is currently supported by the contribution of the ECCAS and ECOWAS Regional Economic Communities in carrying out its mission of implementing the regional maritime safety and security strategy for the Gulf of Guinea. It oversees evaluating the Yaounde Code of Conduct, as stipulated in Article 17 of the said Code relating to the prevention and repression of acts of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activities in West and Central Africa signed in Yaounde on 25 June 2013.
The Yaounde Code of Conduct is an instrument of international standard which applies to all member states of ECCAS, ECOWAS and GGC. It is made up of 21 Articles. By this instrument, it implies that all signatories undertake to work only within the maritime domain, by carrying out all measures taken within the purview of security actions by law enforcement agents or other authorized persons through investigation, first by cooperating, second by coordinating activities with all interested stakeholders, third by ensuring balance between the need to strengthen maritime security and the imperatives of facilitating maritime traffic.
Through this instrument, the Signatories have agreed mainly to cooperate regarding the repression of transnational criminal acts organized in the maritime domain, acts of maritime terrorism, acts of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) and other illegal activities at sea, in order to unite and provide relevant information; to prohibit ships or aircraft suspected of committing any illegal activity at sea; to ensure that those who commit or attempt to carry out these acts are apprehended and brought to book; to facilitate the care, treatment and repatriation of victims, in accordance with the principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of States and that of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States.
10 years after the launch of Maritime Security activities and Safety Architecture of the Gulf of Guinea, we would be tempted to take stock of this original security structure with regards to its missions as well as the legitimate ambitions placed on the Architecture by the beneficiaries. First and foremost, the 25 States Parties to the Yaounde Process, geographically located on a coastal strip close to 6,000 km long and which spans from the southern border of Angola with Namibia to Senegal’s northern border with Mauritania.
As a matter of fact, it is aimed at analyzing the security results obtained till date, the legal and economic progress recorded, derived from the impact of the relevant implementation of the provisions of the Yaounde Code of Conduct and with an analytical look at the Djibouti Code of Conduct. The conclusions drawn from this analysis could also give rise to proposals to improve several areas, including structural aspects such as information management, management of police operations at sea, training and drilling of Marines and Coast Guards as well as the legal and judicial fields.
MR D. MICHENI
Despite shared interests in securing sea lanes of communication and suppressing illicit activities at sea, the lack of effective coordination between regional states and international naval partners deployed to support these efforts in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden has been compromised by competing priorities, mistrust, and concerns over sovereignty. Drawing insights from the successful implementation of the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC/JA)—the leading mechanism for maritime security coordination in the region—and its role in fostering deeper cooperation and coordination between signatory states, this paper calls for improved [collaboration][cooperation, coordination and communication] between the regional states and international partners to achieve their common objectives, consistent with the spirit and provisions of the DCoC/JA. By examining the successes and challenges faced by regional states, this study highlights the critical importance of regional unity in addressing the complex and transnational nature of maritime crimes. It underscores the need for international naval partners to work closely with regional states, effectively utilizing the provisions contained in the code of conduct [and integrating their activities with national and regional strategies]. This approach would help build trust and establish a stronger collective mandate for effective collaboration. The presentation also emphasizes that effective regional cooperation must be built on strong foundations at the national level, ensuring that all maritime security stakeholders work together cohesively.
The paper further examines how the principles of the DCoC/JA can be applied to facilitate better coordination of operations at sea to address maritime crimes in the region, as suggested by participating states, and how these best practices could be applied in other regions.
DR K-S LUPSON