Maritime Security: Imperatives for Economic Development in the Gulf of Guinea

By Dele Joseph Ezeoba

The Gulf of Guinea maritime environment accounts for between 70-90 percent of the revenue of the states in the region. In addition to its rich forestry, fisheries reserves, and massive mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, it also houses the largest volumes of the region's oil and gas, which are still its most valued natural resources. Thus, its economic importance has been of great regional and global interest at all times. Invariably, the economic prosperity, or otherwise, of the states in the region is intrinsically tied to the peace and security of the Gulf. This primary and strategic position of the Gulf in the socio-economic survival and development of the states in the region critically underscores the huge importance of its general security, which in recent years and decades has been blighted by many security challenges.

Dele Ezeoba's Maritime Security: Imperatives for Economic Development in the Gulf of Guinea extensively engages the dynamics and dialectics of security and economic development in the chosen maritime area, and establishes theoretical and practical mechanisms that should be deployed in combating security threats in the maritime space, and opening up the region to greater development. It offers enterprising vistas of intellectual designs in addressing critical issues of maritime security and economic prosperity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jan 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781728391106

Book preview

© 2021 Dele Joseph Ezeoba. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/26/2021

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9111-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9110-6 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Chapter One

The Gulf of Guinea: Background and Structure

Chapter Two

Theoretical Framework and Discourse of Relevant Concepts

Chapter Three

Comparative Case Studies

Chapter Four

Overview of Extant Threats to Security in the Gulf of Guinea Region

Chapter Five

Maritime Security Threats in the Gulf of Guinea

Chapter Six

Current Initiatives and Policy Responses to Maritime Security Challenges in the Gulf of Guinea

Chapter Seven

Towards a Safe and Secure Maritime Region

Conclusion

Bibliography

About The Author

Endnotes

FOREWORD

Since the close of the 20th century, the African continent, like other parts of the world, has witnessed a spate of insecurity that is on a continual rise. A domain where this has played out in massive proportion is the Gulf of Guinea maritime space. The increase in incidents of piracy, kidnapping, human and drug trafficking, illegal and unregulated fishing activities, cybercrimes, among others, within the Gulf of Guinea sub-region for several decades, illustrates the insecurity that has become a serious challenge for seafarers and other stakeholders within the maritime space.

The condition indicates an ongoing contest for economic control and power between organized society and the forces of illegality and criminality. This contest, embodied by the lingering insecurity in the region, has continued to threaten the flourish of commerce, and the actualization of economic development and potential not only within the maritime space, but in the entire West and Central African states.

Invariably, and in the interest of global commerce and the economic development of the sub-region, an effective maritime governance system is required to address the conditions that have consistently impinged on the security architecture of the Gulf of Guinea. Identifying and understanding the factors that have occasioned maritime insecurity in the region and strengthening the bonds of strategic partnership and cooperation in order to protect the Gulf of Guinea from some critical maritime challenges have become imperative in the quest for sub-regional development.

A comprehensive understanding of the security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea maritime space transcends a theoretical appreciation of factors that engender insecurity and their effects on geo-politics. What is required is a reflection on such institutional mechanisms that can promote peace and ensure a secure maritime domain.

Maritime Security: Imperatives for Economic Development in the Gulf of Guinea has taken a huge step in the direction that has been espoused. The author has engaged this work with enthusiasm and rigour by providing a clear insight on how the security apparatuses in the region could be harnessed to foster maritime safety and security. As Nigeria’s former Chief of Naval Staff, he is well acquainted with the theory and geography of the subject, and it is largely from his experience that he has addressed extant gaps in the literature. He has also explored comparative experiences in relation to the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean, demonstrating what could be learned from other experiences.

It’s been a tough call for the author to analyze the inherent intricacies of maritime space administration in the Gulf of Guinea. He captures the individualistic measures of states within the region to combat the menace, while capturing their inability to institutionalize some important sub-regional protocols that would have fostered collective security in the region.

As a security and maritime sector operator myself, and having served in the highest echelon of government and witnessed firsthand some of what the author has explored in this work, I can affirm without equivocation that this book offers a critical balance between the theory and the praxis of maritime security and economic development in the Gulf of Guinea. Undoubtedly, it is a must read for policy makers, security strategists, maritime professionals and experts, and academics. It is a major contribution to the global literature on issues and development in the maritime world.

foreword%20signature.jpg

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON

Former Vice President,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

To Vivian,

my dearly beloved wife,

and to our wonderful daughters,

Stephanie and Joan,

for their unflinching love and support.

PREFACE

Significant volumes of local and global economic activities are conducted in and around the maritime space of the Gulf of Guinea; hence the Gulf is considered a strategic and fundamental building block in the socio-economic survival and development of the states within the region. This underscores the importance of the general security of the region, particularly that of its maritime space. However, the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) has been blighted by numerous maritime security challenges ranging from physical, socio-economic, cultural, and political to various forms of environmental challenges, all of which ultimately undermine the security of lives and property of the Gulf of Guinea states and the sub-region. The main thrust of this work, therefore, is to capture the remote and immediate causes of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea maritime domain. In context, it highlights the geostrategic and socio-economic importance of the Gulf of Guinea and seeks to establish the nexus between a broader concept of security and national development imperatives of the GOG sub-region. It equally examines the extant security mechanisms that are in place to combat the numerous maritime security threats in the region.

Captured in seven chapters, the discourse engages issues of great economic and socio-political import from the critical angle of security threats, challenges and the desired containment strategic options in the maritime environment of the West and Central African states that form the Gulf of Guinea Commission. The introductory chapter discusses the geographical environment upon which the discourse is premised, highlighting the strategic socio-economic importance and general security trends in the Gulf of Guinea region.

Chapter Two examines the conceptual clarification of some key variables and their contexts of applicability. It equally offers an exhaustive review of current literature on the subject, establishing the nexus between maritime resource management and socio-economic development, and how maritime security mediates national development. The chapter also offers a detailed discussion of the concepts of human and maritime security, and their interplay within the context of emerging security dynamics.

Chapter Three provides the framework for case studies of three other maritime regions, thus establishing a template for understanding their similarities, challenges and points of departure within the purview of their specific regional experiences. It also reviews the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea in relation to the experiences in these other maritime regions. Chapter Four evaluates extant land-based socio-political and economic factors that negatively impact on security in the maritime region, while Chapter Five explores the security threats within the maritime region itself.

Chapter Six reviews various extant national and regional security initiatives, with emphasis on current national and sub-regional strategies and responses, international initiatives and institutional cooperation, as well as policies, strategies and implementation guidelines. Chapter Seven concludes the study by proffering the way forward for efficient defense management and maintenance of security in the Gulf of Guinea. Such measures underscore the imperatives of commitment and political will to implement informed decisions, including enhanced cooperation and collaboration at the national, sub-regional and global levels, within the broader context of Global Maritime Partnership (GMP). Equally important as captured in the concluding chapter is the re-positioning of regional naval forces, and the roles of the organized private sector, among others, for enhanced maritime security of the Gulf of Guinea.

The study advocates Global Maritime Partnership (GMP) initiatives anchored on collective security mechanisms, with emphasis on trust, partnership, cooperation and coordination among states of the Gulf of Guinea, including their national agencies, private maritime actors, and international partners. It advocates GMP as a strategic option of choice for addressing maritime related security challenges in the region.

It is envisaged that this work would be of immense benefit to national policy makers particularly in the formulation of appropriate strategies for the maritime defence of the Gulf of Guinea. It would also be useful to all stakeholders at the Gulf of Guinea Council of Ministers, the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), and to various top military security and defence managers, who are, or should be responsible for establishing a framework for effective defence and security within the Gulf of Guinea. Furthermore, it is expected that the study would evoke further research and discussion on the importance of sustainable development and the protection of economic resources within the maritime environment of the Gulf of Guinea. More importantly, it is hoped that the work would significantly contribute to the pool of knowledge and fill existing gaps in the literature on the maritime defence of the Gulf of Guinea.

Dele Joseph Ezeoba,

Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval Staff,

Federal Republic of Nigeria.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In accomplishing the task of writing this literature, it’s germane for me to appreciate those who have been of immense assistance to me through the tedious journey. It is in this regard that I would seize the opportunity to most sincerely express my gratitude to Rear Admiral Niyi Oshinowo, Commandant National Defence College, Nigeria, Rear Admiral Harry Ngonadi (rtd), Commodore Ayo Olugbode, and Captain Chidozie Okehie, my very dependable assistant, for their contribution through the sourcing of relevant materials and professional advice.

Equally worthy of note is the enormous support and guidance of Dr. Udu Yakubu of May University Press Ltd., and his team of dedicated staff, especially Victor Ekpo, James Okuneye and Samuel Adesubokan, for their depth of research and intellectual input that helped to enrich the study. Finally, my sincere appreciation goes to Mr. Peter Eloka Okocha for his moral support, and my beloved family for their love, care and objective critique that shaped my thought process, all to the glory of God.

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

CHAPTER ONE

THE GULF OF GUINEA:

BACKGROUND AND STRUCTURE

One major cause of conflict between nations is the pursuit of national interest, which is a key concept in international relations. States are often preoccupied with securing or achieving the goals of their defined interests, which often times are at variance with those of neighbouring or other nations. Be that as it may, it is the legitimate right of every state to pursue its national interest in line with prescribed international laws and conventions. However, the concept of national interest could be amorphous and sometimes vague and difficult to define as it is largely premised on the depth, characteristics and understanding of political direction of a state by its leadership.

Nations determine their national interests in accordance with their priorities in international politics, which include security, power, prestige, and economic prosperity, among others. A country’s national interests are often clearly articulated ways and means of asserting and ensuring its political and economic survival and development. In this regard, Morgenthau, for example, perceived national interest as ‘… the protection of physical, political and cultural identity against encroachments by other states …’

To protect their national interests, nations usually lay territorial claims to economic resources located within their borders. Such resources often become the embodiment or material representation of national interest. An attempt by one nation to exercise exclusive control over resources within a common boundary may lead to conflict between it and its neighbors, particularly those with overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Such disputes, if not peacefully resolved, more often than not lead to litigation, and sometimes conflicts and wars. To ensure a peaceful and harmonious resolution of such conflicts, the United Nations Charter, within its Articles, provides a conflict resolution framework that encompasses regional, political, security and economic cooperation arrangements and alliances.

Following the end of World War II, the economic reconstruction of Europe was considered a vital national security interest of the USA and its allies. Thus, it became an issue of great urgency for the United States to ensure its attainment. The need to rebuild Europe was important to the US for two reasons. First was the desire to revamp the crumbled economies of post-war Europe. Members of the US government believed that an unstable European economy would spell political instability for the continent and pave the way for the rise of communist revolutions in Western Europe. Second was the fear that without a productive and prosperous Europe, US trade would collapse and such untoward development