Maritime security: capacity-building in West Africa

Dirk Siebels PhD Candidate, University of Greenwich (London)

Maritime security: capacity-building in West Africa

MARSEC COE, Aksaz Naval Base, Turkey

18 December 2014

Agenda • Strategic level: political agreements

• Tactical level: regional headquarters and information sharing

• Operational level: new capabilities and the role of private security

• Future developments and potential partners

Political agreements

Maritime security in West Africa:

the strategic level

Yaoundé Code of Conduct • Adopted in June 2013 after IMO-led discussions

• 25 countries from West and Central Africa are signatories

• Broad focus on ‘illicit maritime activity’, including piracy, smuggling, IUU fishing etc.

• Slow implementation due to limited resources and lack of experience in terms of security cooperation, but promising first results

Enhancing maritime security • ECCAS Maritime Security Strategy (October 2009 after attacks in Equatorial Guinea)

• UN Security Council Resolutions 2018 (October 2011) & 2039 (February 2012) led to action in the region

• ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (finalised September 2014)

• National maritime security strategies and enhanced cooperation between different agencies (ongoing efforts, e.g. Ghana, Togo)

Regional headquarters and information sharing

Maritime security in West Africa:

the operational level

Regional Organizations

International Information-Sharing Centers International Maritime Bureau (IMB) - Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

MOWCA

NATO Shipping Centre, Northwood, United Kingdom Piracy Incident Reporting And informaTion Exchange System (PIRATES), Brussels, Belgium Niger

Mali Cape Verde

Chad

Senegal The Gambia

ZONE

G

Burkina Faso

Guinea-Bissau

• Zone E - Center for Multinational Coordination (CMC) - Planned Cotonou, Benin

Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (RMRCC) - Operational • Monrovia, Liberia

Benin Côte d’Ivoire

ZONE

F

Nigeria

Ghana

Central African Republic Bight of Benin

Cameroon

ZONE

E

Bight of Bonny

Regional Coordination Centre for Maritime Security in Western Africa (CRESMAO) - Planned • INTERPOL - West African Police Information System (WAPIS) - Regional Bureau - Operational • Centre for Information and Communication (CINFOCOM) - Planned • Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

• Zone D - Center for Multinational Coordination (CMC) - Operational Cameroon Naval Base | Douala, Cameroon

Togo

ZONE

Gulf of Guinea Príncipe São Tomé

Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre - Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GOG) - Initial Operating Capability • Ghana Maritime Authority -Maritime Hub (VTMIS) - Planned • Regional Training Center (RTC) - Operational • Accra, Ghana

D

Equ. Guinea Gabon

Democratic Republic of the Congo

ZONE

Angola

B

Congo

ZONES A & B - Proposed, ECCAS zones (currently non-operational) ZONES E,F & G - Proposed, ECOWAS zones (currently non-operational)

Signatory Countries of the Code of Conduct

Proposed MTISC-GoG Reporting Area

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA - NATIONAL FOCAL POINTS As stated in the Code of Conduct: Each Signatory should designate a national focal point to facilitate coordinated, effective, and timely information flow among the Signatories, consistent with the purpose and scope of this Code of Conduct. Signatory Countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo

INFORMATION SHARING IN WEST AFRICA

Burundi • Regional Coordination Centre for Maritime Security in Central Africa (CRESMAC) - Operational Point Noire, Republic of Congo

Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (RMRCC) - Operational • Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) Tactical Operations Centre - Operational • Lagos, Nigeria

ZONE D - Operational ECCAS zone

• Inter-regional Coordination Centre on Maritime Safety and Security for the Central and West African Maritime Space - Planned Yaoundé, Cameroon

Angola Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Côte d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Sierra Leone The Gambia Togo

ZONE

A

Angola

GGC Angola Cameroon Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon Nigeria Republic of the Congo Sao Tome and Principe

ECCAS

ECOWAS

Angola Burundi Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon Republic of the Congo Sao Tome and Principe

Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Côte d’Ivoire Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone The Gambia Togo

Coordination centres • Inter-regional Coordination Centre (ICC), Yaoundé

• CRESMAC (ECCAS), Pointe-Noire and CRESMAO (ECOWAS), probably Abidjan

• CMCs (Centres for Multinational Cooperation) for operational zones (Zone D operational with HQ in Douala, Zone E will become operational in March 2015 with HQ in Cotonou)

• MTISC-GoG, Tema/Ghana (single point of contact for shipping industry)

Coordination centres Inter-regional Coordination Centre

CRESMAC

Maritime zones A, B, D

MTISC

CRESMAO

Maritime zones E, F, G

New capabilities and the role of private security

Maritime security in West Africa:

the tactical level

Examples for naval investments Country

Procurement

Benin

Three 32m coastal patrol vessels (ordered at French shipyard in 2012)

Cameroon

Modernised naval equipment, update of exercises and strategies, further cooperation with France

Côte d’Ivoire

UN-approved purchase of 30 speedboats and some larger patrol vessels ongoing

Equatorial Guinea

Two 72m patrol vessels (delivered from Israel in 2011), 107m frigate (commissioned in 2014)

Ghana

Four Chinese-built patrol vessels commissioned in 2012, new strategy with special boat units

Nigeria

First Nigerian-built warship (2012), two OPVs from China (2014), additional vessels

Private security on the rise? • No privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) allowed in Territorial Waters (throughout Gulf of Guinea)

• Training of government security forces by PMSCs ongoing in some countries

• Shipping industry mainly interested in short-term solutions against to prevent attacks (armed robbery, kidnap & ransom etc.)

• Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) off Lagos: controversial model for publicprivate partnership


Private security on the rise? • Former Niger Delta militant Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo works as private contractor for NIMASA (Global West Vessel Services

• Controversial deal in the wake of Niger Delta insurgency

• Potential for private maritime security companies but governments are generally worried about sovereignty

Future developments, potential partners

Maritime security in West Africa:

outside involvement

Potential partners • International Maritime Organization: ‘Implementing sustainable maritime security measures in West and Central Africa’

• IMO has conducted table-top exercises, provides ongoing assistance

• Other UN agencies, e.g. UNODC, can add specific expertise in areas such as transnational organised crime

Potential partners • European Union (various projects, e.g. CRIMGO)

• Bilateral partnerships, e.g. with France (Mission Corymbe), United Kingdom

• AFRICOM / African Partnership Station (e.g. Exercise Obangame Express)

• Friends of the Gulf of Guinea / G7++ (maritime capacity-building platform, supported by Oceans Beyond Piracy)