AFRICAN APPROACHES to MARITIME SECURITY - the GULF of GUINEA Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof
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Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof. Wullson MVOMO ELA AFRICAN APPROACHES TO MARITIME SECURITY - THE GULF OF GUINEA Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof. Wullson MVOMO ELA AFRICAN APPROACHES TO MARITIME SECURITY - THE GULF OF GUINEA Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof. Wullson MVOMO ELA | African approaches to Maritime Security - The Gulf of Guinea About the authors Imprint Dr. Charles Ukeje is Reader in International Relations at the Published by: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He previously Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Regional Office Abuja, held a visiting research position at the School of Oriental and 12 Marrakesh Street, Wuse II, Abuja, Nigeria African Studies (London) and a Lectureship in African Politics and Development at Oxford University's Department of Tel +234 (0)9-4137977 [email protected] International Development. His teaching and research www.fes-westafrica.org/abuja interests have focused on Africa in World Politics; International Relations of Africa; Governance and Security in Coordinator: Nigeria; Politics and Society in West Africa; The Politics of Oil; Felix Henkel Youth and Gender in Resource Governance and Conflicts; and increasingly, the Security Challenges facing the Gulf of First impression in December 2013 Guinea. Layout by Samson Nnah, [email protected] Professor Wullson Mvomo Ela teaches international Printed by Single Vision Limited, Abuja, Nigeria relations at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon and at the 07032105185, 08050371359 International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC). He is a Printed in Abuja Consultant and Focal point on security issues in the Economic Community for Central African States (ECCAS). © Copyright with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung He has been since 2005, an adviser to the General Delegate for National Security in Cameroon. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieved system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holders and the publishers. Short extracts may be quoted, provided the source is fully acknowledged. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the ones of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung or of the organisation for which the authors work. This publication is printed on paper from sustainable forestry. ISBN 978-978-915-490-6 Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof. Wullson MVOMO ELA | African approaches to Maritime Security - The Gulf of Guinea Table of contents I. Acronyms...................................................................................................................................5 II. Abstract .....................................................................................................................................6 III. Mandate and justification for the study ................................................................................7 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................9 1.1. Extent of the Gulf of Guinea.........................................................................................................9 1.2. Economic importance of the Gulf of Guinea ................................................................................9 1.3. Trends, Evidence ..........................................................................................................................9 1.4. The paradox of plenty ................................................................................................................10 1.5. Consequences ...........................................................................................................................10 1.6. Implications ...............................................................................................................................11 2. Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea: Situational and structural factors .....................13 2.1. Root causes of maritime insecurity.............................................................................................13 2.2. Economic and security dimensions of international maritime monopoly......................................13 2.3. Impact of oil policy of Western powers after 9/11.......................................................................13 2.4. The profit-based economy: the curse of oil...............................................................................14 2.5. Negligence on the part of the postcolonial state.........................................................................17 2.6. Private military contractors..........................................................................................................17 2.7. Poor delimitation of maritime boundaries...................................................................................18 2.8. Right and social justice issues in the context of perverse resource extraction...............................18 2.9. Weak legal framework for effective maritime security management...........................................19 3. Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea: Diverse and complex manifestations................21 3.1. Acts of violence at sea: piracy and armed robbery.......................................................................21 3.2. Trafficking in narcotics, fake and sub-standard pharmaceuticals .................................................21 3.3. Organised transnational crime....................................................................................................21 3.4. Illegal fishing and ecological risks ..............................................................................................23 4. Critical assessment of actions undertaken already...............................................................23 4.1. The domestic or national level....................................................................................................23 4.2. The regional level ......................................................................................................................23 4.3. The global level ..........................................................................................................................25 4.4. Implementing an appropriate normative framework ...................................................................25 4.4.1. Legislations of a repressive nature ..............................................................................................25 3 Dr Charles UKEJE / Prof. Wullson MVOMO ELA | African approaches to Maritime Security - The Gulf of Guinea 4.4.2. General legislations aimed at prevention.....................................................................................26 4.5. Other multilateral initiatives on maritime security in the GoG .....................................................26 4.5.1. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) ..............................................................................26 4.5.2. The European Union (EU) ..........................................................................................................27 4.5.3. The G8 Platform.........................................................................................................................28 4.5.4. INTERPOL...................................................................................................................................28 4.5.5. The Atlantic Initiative..................................................................................................................29 4.5.6. The African Union and 2050 AIM Strategy.................................................................................29 4.6. Bilateral Initiatives......................................................................................................................29 4.6.1. France........................................................................................................................................29 4.6.2. The United States.......................................................................................................................30 4.6.3. The United Kingdom .................................................................................................................30 4.6.4. China ........................................................................................................................................30 5. The risk of extraversion of maritime security mechanisms in the Gulf of Guinea.............33 5.1. The risk of extraversion of maritime security in the GoG.............................................................33 5.2. Country level responses .............................................................................................................33 5.3. Regional and multilateral initiatives and responses .....................................................................34 5.3.1. The Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA)..............................................34 5.3.2. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) ..........................................................................36 5.3.3. The Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC).........................................................................................36 5.3.4. Comparatives advantages of ECCAS and ECOWAS towards maritime security............................39 5.3.5. The political dynamics in West Africa and correlation to maritime security..................................40