Evolution of African Maritime Security: Imperatives, Governance and Challenges

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In an African context, the process of developing an agenda for maritime security has been relatively new despite the continent being completely surrounded by water. For long periods of time, African nations tended to be labelled as ‘sea blind,’ which implied that they ignored the vital importance of their waters and the maritime domain. This was due to the colonial legacy of the continent, which prompted an inward and continental outlook. Following the emergence of the scourge of piracy off the Somalian coast, African states and international actors started to pay due attention to ensure maritime security. This paper highlights the different ways in which maritime security in an African context has developed in the last couple of decades and explores some of the emerging debates and strategies impacting African maritime security.

The paper argues that piracy and armed robbery at sea has sensitized the countries of Africa and the international community to these threats. However, this over-emphasis on piracy and armed robbery has also skewed perceptions about Africa’s maritime landscape. The challenges are much broader in nature and the resultant strategies employed by African countries go beyond tackling piracy. African maritime strategies, in present times, tend to look beyond the challenges and threats and focus on common interests of wealth creation and sustainable governance.

About The Author

Dr. Abhishek Mishra is an Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. His research focuses on India and China’s engagement in Africa and maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. He curates MP-IDSA’s Africa Digest, a monthly news digest and is the Associate Editor of Africa Trends Journal. He has also participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the United States Department of State on the theme “Enhancing Regional Maritime Governance and Cooperation in the QUAD” in October, 2022.