Photo: Christopher Griner.
Although the sea is a source of great wealth for Africa, piracy, narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling, and other transnational threats present a significant threat to the continent’s security, jobs, food supply, and trade. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies has compiled a collection of analyses, research, and lectures that present challenges of and methods for securing the maritime domain.
Video
Dr. Raymond Gilpin explains the profound importance of maritime security for all African countries (even the landlocked ones), discusses the colonial legacy of governance that resulted in neglect of the maritime domain, and walks through several key elements of a maritime security strategy.
Spotlight
Trends in African Maritime Security
Africa’s rapidly evolving maritime security environment has prompted innovations in Africa’s maritime security architecture, leading to greater regional coordination.
Spotlight
The latest Africa Center Maritime Security program examined the Seychelles’ approach to combatting criminality on the seas and lessons for other maritime states in Africa.
Spotlight
Maritime Security in the Western Indian Ocean: A Discussion with Assis Malaquias
The Indian Ocean is a vital conduit for trade. It’s also a domain where security threats, including piracy, trafficking, and illegal fishing, thrive. Former Africa Center professor Assis Malaquias reflects on its relevance to national security in Africa.
Video
Africa Is an Island: Maritime Safety and Security
Africa Center Professor of Defense Economics and Resource Management Assis Malaquias discusses insecurity, piracy, illegal fishing, and other maritime threats at a workshop on Africa’s Contemporary Security Challenges hosted by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in December 2016.
Toolkit
National Maritime Security Strategy Toolkit
This toolkit is intended to assist policymakers and practitioners as they navigate the process of developing maritime national security strategies in Africa.
Video
Contemporary Maritime Security Challenges in Africa I
Assis Malaquias, Professor and Academic Chair, Defense Economics and Resource Management at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, discusses maritime security at the African Center’s Senior Leaders Seminar in May 2016.
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Contemporary Maritime Security Challenges in Africa II
Ian Ralby, Adjunct Professor of Maritime Law and Security at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, goes beyond a conceptual discussion of maritime issues to analyze specific examples of threat trends in North, East, and West Africa and the process and results of the international response at the African Center’s Senior Leaders Seminar in May 2016.
Spotlight
Maritime Safety and Security: Crucial for Africa’s Strategic Future
Africa’s 16,000-mile coastline gives two-thirds of its countries direct access to a sea of riches. The maritime domain offers enormous earning potential through fishing and tourism. It serves as a major cultural reference point and a vital source of livelihoods for both coastal and inland communities.
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Assis Malaquias, Professor and Academic Chair, Defense Economics and Resource Management at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, discusses maritime security at the African Center’s Next Generation of African Security Sector Leaders program in October 2015.
Spotlight
Africa Center’s Assis Malaquias Recognized for Work on Maritime Security
The U.S. Department of State has honored the Africa Center’s Dr. Assis Malaquias with an award recognizing his unique contributions in advancing maritime security efforts in Africa. Dr. Malaquias has been leading the Africa Center’s maritime security portfolio since 2009.
Spotlight
Fundamental Security Challenges Nigeria Must Face, Part 7: Maritime Security
One fundamental security challenge Nigeria’s leaders must face lies at sea because he security of the Gulf of Guinea is integral to the country’s economic health.
Africa Security Brief No. 30
Combating Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
Stronger national, regional, and international political commitments are needed to reverse the worsening trend of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
Spotlight
Expert to African Leaders: Do Not Ignore the Maritime Domain
“Maritime security is an integral part of a nation’s overall economic performance,” maritime security expert Loïc Moudouma said in a seminar held at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. He was speaking to a gathering of senior U.S. officials, academics and researchers and members of the African diplomatic corps.
Africa Security Brief No. 10
Investing in Science and Technology to Meet Africa’s Maritime Security Challenges
A growing number of Africa’s security challenges—narcotics trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, and armed robberies, among others—take place at sea. Illicit actors exploit Africa’s maritime space given its expansiveness and the limited number of vessels African governments can field to interdict this activity. Technology can dramatically improve Africa’s maritime security coverage.
Africa Security Brief No. 2
Navies versus Coast Guards: Defining the Roles of African Maritime Security Forces
Piracy, illegal fishing, and narcotics and human trafficking are growing rapidly in Africa and represent an increasingly central component of the threat matrix facing the continent. However, African states’ maritime security structures are often misaligned with the challenges posed and need coast guard capabilities and an array of intra-governmental partnerships.