THE GULF OF GUINEA: THE NEW DANGER ZONE Africa Report N°195 – 12 December 2012 Translation from French TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. A STRATEGIC REGION IN THE GRIP OF INSECURITY ...................................... 2 A. RENEWED STRATEGIC INTEREST IN NATURAL RESOURCES .......................................................... 2 B. A CONTEXT FAVOURABLE TO MARITIME CRIME ......................................................................... 3 C. WEAK MARITIME POLICIES .......................................................................................................... 4 III. NIGERIA: EPICENTRE OF VIOLENCE AT SEA ...................................................... 6 A. POOR GOVERNANCE AND MARITIME CRIME ................................................................................ 6 1. A leaky oil sector ......................................................................................................................... 6 2. The rise in economic crime .......................................................................................................... 7 3. State capacity hampered by corruption ........................................................................................ 8 4. The Niger Delta ............................................................................................................................ 8 D. THE INCREASE IN CRIME SINCE 2009 ........................................................................................... 9 1. The amnesty’s limited impact ...................................................................................................... 9 2. Crime onshore enables crime offshore ....................................................................................... 10 3. Stronger but insufficient government response ......................................................................... 11 E. FUTURE THREATS TO MARITIME SECURITY ............................................................................... 12 1. Subcontracting security .............................................................................................................. 12 2. Amnesty, unemployment and unrest in the north ...................................................................... 12 IV. THE SPREAD OF CRIME ACROSS THE REGION ................................................ 13 A. POLITICAL GANGSTERISM IN BAKASSI ....................................................................................... 13 B. MARITIME RAIDS ....................................................................................................................... 14 C. PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS ........................................................................................................ 15 1. Danger off the Benin coast ........................................................................................................ 15 2. Togo within range ...................................................................................................................... 17 3. Ghana at risk .............................................................................................................................. 18 V. REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT ..................... 18 A. UNEQUAL REGIONAL COOPERATION .......................................................................................... 19 1. The beginning of a strategy in Central Africa ............................................................................ 19 2. West Africa plays catch-up ........................................................................................................ 20 B. NASCENT INTER-REGIONAL COOPERATION ................................................................................ 21 C. INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: IN SEARCH OF COORDINATION ........................................................ 21 VI. MOVING BEYOND A PURELY SECURITY APPROACH ..................................... 23 A. THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM REFORMS ....................................................................................... 23 1. Improving economic governance ............................................................................................... 24 2. Boosting development on the coast ........................................................................................... 24 3. Strengthening maritime law enforcement .................................................................................. 24 B. FIGHTING PIRACY ON LAND AND SEA ........................................................................................ 25 1. Dissuading pirates: A joint task of state and private actors ....................................................... 25 2. Arresting pirates ......................................................................................................................... 26 C. THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT COOPERATION ......................................................... 27 1. Making the region take responsibility for its own security ........................................................ 27 2. Coordinating international support ............................................................................................ 28 VII.CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 29 APPENDICES A. MAP OF THE GULF OF GUINEA ......................................................................................................... 30 B. MAP OF THE NIGER DELTA .............................................................................................................. 31 C. MAP OF THE ECCAS MARITIME ZONES .......................................................................................... 32 D. NIGER DELTA TIMELINE .................................................................................................................. 33 E. PIRACY IN THE GULF OF GUINEA: A CONTINENTAL PERSPECTIVE .................................................... 35 Africa Report N°195 12 December 2012 THE GULF OF GUINEA: THE NEW DANGER ZONE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Within a decade, the Gulf of Guinea has become one of The weakness and general inadequacy of the maritime the most dangerous maritime areas in the world. Maritime policies of Gulf of Guinea states and the lack of coopera- insecurity is a major regional problem that is compromis- tion between them have allowed criminal networks to di- ing the development of this strategic economic area and versify their activities and gradually extend them away threatening maritime trade in the short term and the sta- from the Nigerian coast and out on to the high seas. Crime bility of coastal states in the long term. Initially taken by does not affect only the oil industry; it has diversified to surprise, the region’s governments are now aware of the include piracy and increasingly audacious and well-planned problem and the UN is organising a summit meeting on the seaborne raids. Criminal groups have learned quickly and, issue. In order to avoid violent transnational crime desta- taking advantage of troubled socio-political situations, have bilising the maritime economy and coastal states, as it has appeared along the coasts of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, done on the East African coast, these states must fill the São Tomé and Príncipe, Benin and Togo. security vacuum in their territorial waters and provide a collective response to this danger. Gulf of Guinea countries Having recovered from the initial surprise, Gulf of Guinea must press for dynamic cooperation between the Economic states and Western countries are exploring how best to deal Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the with the problem before it causes wider instability. States Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and regional organisations have launched specific operations take the initiative in promoting security and adopt a new and are formulating strategies to improve security. The most approach based on improving not only security but also affected states aim to build navies and increase resources economic governance. for coastal policing in the hope of deterring criminals. The recent discovery of offshore hydrocarbon deposits At the regional level, within the framework of its peace has increased the geostrategic importance of the Gulf of and security policies, ECCAS has created a regional mari- Guinea. After neglecting their maritime zones for many time security centre and organised joint training exercises. years, Gulf of Guinea states are now aware of their weak- However, states find it hard to organise joint funding or co- ness. On the international front, renewed Western interest ordinate their efforts. Maritime policies are embryonic and in the region is accompanied by similar interest from emerg- symbolic and states are unable to maintain a continuous ing nations. In this context, the rise in maritime crime has presence at sea. In the case of ECOWAS, maritime cooper- increased collective concern in a region where, for decades, ation is still in its infancy and is hampered by political ten- the problems of sovereignty and territorial control have sions and distrust of neighbouring states toward Nigeria. only been posed on dry land. At the inter-regional level,