GULF OF GUINEA MARITIME SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Presented by Captain Sylvestre FONKOUA Chief of Zone D Multinational Coordination Center
INTRODUCTION I. GULF OF GUINEAMARITIME REGIONALSTRATEGY a) ECCAS b) ECOWAS c) Yaoundé Architecture II. REGIONAL ASSESSMENT a) Gulf of Guinea general overview b) Threats c) Statistics III. US PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT a) OBANGAME EXPRESS exercise objectives b) Appraisal of US regional partnership c) Others partnership support IV. RECOMMANDATIONS CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION The proliferation of the various UN conventions on safety and maritime safety, inevitably demonstrates the strong will of the international community to completely stop illegal acts at sea to allow the free movement of people and goods and the exploitation of innumerable riches that it abounds. Driven by this constant concern for peace without which there is no sustainable development and convinced that the sea is a strategic vector constituting a potential source of wealth creation for their economies, Heads of State, Government or the leaders of the economic regions of the coastal countries that make up the Gulf of Guinea and even the entire African continent, have spared no effort to put in place regulatory texts or security provisions for securing this vital maritime area.
I. GULF OF GUINEA MARITIME REGIONAL STRATEGY a- ECCAS To face the various scourges that undermined the maritime space of Central Africa, a strategy for securing the vital interests at sea of the ECCAS States was set up by the Memorandum of Understanding ratified by the Heads of State. and Governments of ECCAS Member States on 24 October 2009 in Kinshasa. This strategy is implemented by the Regional Center for Maritime Safety of Central Africa (CRESMAC) which is located in Pointe- Noire, Republic of Congo and whose mission is to ensure the control of the maritime space of the States of ECCAS of the Gulf of Guinea, in particular by: - protection of natural resources and small - scale maritime fishing areas - securing maritime routes - the fight against all marine plagues.
ECCAS CRESMAC POINTE-NOIRE, CONGO ZONE A MCC (LUANDA, ANGOLA) ZONE D MCC (DOUALA, CAMEROON) ANGOLA MOC CAMEROON MOC GABON MOC RDC MOC CONGO MOC EG MOC STP MOC
a 1- THE SIX PILLARS OF THE ECCAS STRATEGY Information sharing among members states Multinational operations for maritime surveillance of ECCAS maritime space with standard operations procedures Harmonization of maritime law enforcement for members states at a judicial and institutional plan Institution of a community tax on the base of existing mecanisms Acquisition and maintenance of major equipment to reinforce capacity building Institution of maritime conference of members states at the level of the security council of the region
a 2- POLITICAL ORIENTATION OF ZONE D AREA Finding Increasing maritime insecurity north of the maritime area of Central Africa before 2009 Creation of Zone D MCC Technical agreement of May 6, 2009 in Yaoundé, between the ECCAS and the Ministers of Defense of Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, with the implementation of a Surveillance Plan for securing Zone D maritime Location Based in Douala, supported by the Military Staff of Cameroon, and attached to the strategic level, CRESMAC
Articulation A Chief of Center: from Cameroon navy ; cumulatively with his duties as Head of Intelligency and Communications; Operations officer: from Gabon navy; Logistics officier: from Equatorial Guinea The STP officer is not yet deployed The support staff is made available by the State of Cameroon SECMAR 1: launched September 14, 2009 SECMAR 2: ongoing since February 12, 2011 Unrollement of activities TASK GROUP (based in Malabo) -Cameroon: 01 patrol boat -Gabon: 01 patrol boat -Equatorial Guinea: 01 patrol boat Its better to recall that the innovation in this ECCAS maritime strategy is the non existence of maritime boundaries for ships of members Zone D states which are under operational command.
I. GULF OF GUINEA MARITIME REGIONAL STRATEGY b- ECOWAS The maritime security measures underway in zone D have therefore led to a reduction in piracy in this area, thus encouraging the migration of this phenomenon in West Africa; hence the reaction of the policies by the creation of the Regional Center of Maritime Safety of West Africa (CRESMAO). Important dates: July 15, 2013: Signature in Abuja of the Multilateral Agreement CMMC zone E; October 23-28, 2016: Meeting of Government Experts on the Validation of CMMC Text for Zone F; March 29, 2017: Signing of the CRESMAO Headquarters Agreement in Abidjan;
ECOWAS CRESMAO ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST ZONE E MMCC (COTONOU, BENIN) ZONE F MMCC (ACCRA, GHANA) ZONE G MMCC (PRAIA, CAPE VERDE) BENIN MOC NIGERIA MOC TOGO MOC NIGER MOC GHANA MOC IVORY COAST MOC SIERRA LEONNE MOC GUINEA MOC LIBERIA MOC BURKINA FASO MOC CAPE VERDE MOC GAMBIA MOC GUINEA BISSAU MOC SENEGAL MOC MALI MOC
I. GULF OF GUINEA MARITIME REGIONAL STRATEGY c- YAOUNDE ARCHITECTURE UN 2018 Resolution (2011) UN 2039 Resolution (2012) Juin 24, 25 2013 Yaoundé Summit The Memorandum of Understanding between ECCAS, ECOWAS and CGG, on safety and security in the maritime area of Central and West Africa Political Declaration of Heads of State and Government Code of Conduct Yaoundé Architecture
c 1- MISSIONS OF THE INTERREGIONAL COORDINATION CENTER (ICC) YAOUNDE * strengthen cooperation in the fight against pollution and the protection of the environment; * ensure compatibility and interoperability between regional architectures; * cooperate with regional fisheries and mining management organizations; * develop and harmonize operational procedures; * sensitize states on the need to ratify the conventions on piracy and illegal acts committed at sea; * contribute to the monitoring of maritime boundary issues; * promote awareness of maritime issues
Political ECCAS ECOWAS - GGC Interregional ICC Yaoundé, Cameroon Regional CRESMAC Pointe-Noire, Congo CRESMAO Abidjan, Ivory Coast Zonal Zone A MCC Zone D MCC Zone E MMCC Zone F MMCC Zone G MMCC National Each country MOC Each country MOC
YAOUNDE ACHITECTURE
Around 250.000 km2 Around 500 000 miles of EEZ 19 coastals states Millions of vessl at call per year Thousands of fishing vessel Millions of jobs opportunities Cities II. a- GULF OF GUINEA GENERAL OVERVIEW Offshore ressources REGIONAL ASSESSMENT Unfortunately the Gulf of Guinea is today one of the most insecure maritime regions in the world
c- THREATS Maritime piracy illegal immigration IUU fishing Smuggling
c- STATISTICS 2009 / 2018 Zone D maritime attacks Before 2008 and implementation of Zone D MCC more than 50 attacks per year Since implementation of Zone D MCC reduction of 01 act of piracy in 2018 year number of attacks killed injured hostage 2009 40 05 08 04 2010 16 06 05 15 2011 09 14 08 11 2012 02 00 00 00 2013 13 01 01 13 2014 04 00 00 03 2015 02 03 00 01 2016 01 00 00 00 2017 02 01 01 05 since janv 2018 01 00 00 03 TOTAL GENERAL 90 30 23 53
b- STATISTICS 2008 / 2018 Gulf of Guinea maritime attacks Main threats are localise in ECOWAS area particular in Nigeria
III- US PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT IN GULF OF GUINEA United States is the main partner in the Gulf of Guinea for maritime security and maritime domain awareness This cooperation, previously focused on training, has changed thanks to the APS program; it s now geared towards theoretical training and field training exercise of the Gulf of Guinea's navies. This program has found on the initiative of multinational patrols in Zone D since 2010, the opportunity to develop exercise "OBANGAME EXPRESS which objectives are as follow.
a- OBANGAME EXERCISE OBJECTIVES Regional Maritime Operations Center (MOC) to MOC interoper ability; MOC to tactical unit interoperability; Intracountry, interagency, and multinational MDA capability; Intracountry, interagency, and multinational information sharing; Tactical Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) capability; Operational capability to respond to maritime events, and to pr event and counter maritime threats; Power projection and the ability to effectively operate as a mul tinational force under a regional authority;
b- APPRAISAL OF US REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP - Stability and reduction of pirates attacks especially in Zone D and surroundings; - Establishment and harmonization of Standards Operations procedures(sop); - The collective awareness of regionals politics ; - The growth of regional navies assets and capabilities; - The implementation of CRESMAC, CRESMAO and other MCCs; - Implementation of the Interregional Coordination Center; - The sharing of information in the Gulf of Guinea; - Strengthening cooperation and partnership between all States engaged in the law enforcement at sea; - Logistical support for implementation of facilities and naval assets.
c- OTHERS PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT IN GULF OF GUINEA EUROPEAN SUPPORT With CRIMGO and GOGING projects, implemented in after the Yaoundé Code of Conduct in 2013. Aim is to: - help and support regionals countries to endhance their capabilities in law enforcement at sea - crew training for regionals countries - crisis response training exercise (CRT) - logistics support - sharing of intels ASIAN COUNTRIES SUPPORT - logistics support and training for implementation of facilities and assets - sharing of informations
V- RECOMMANDATIONS Despite of the success of Zone D activities, combined with valuable efforts of national navies of Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial-Guinea, we do recommend; the firm will of members states to implement all different points stated in the strategy which have been left out until today (community tax, autonomy of CRESMAC and CRESMAO, implementation and operationalization of zone A, F and G) Harmonization of procedures of law enforcement at sea at the judicial and institutional level for all gulf of guinea states Institution of legal and administrative reforms on maritime crimes and multinational operations in territorial water, Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) and international water Implementation of regional framework to prosecute maritime crimes committed in territorial waters EEZ and international seas Implementation of a regional maritime pictures Implementation of coastal monitoring systems for all regional countries for a better maritime coverage Implementation of a regional communications architecture Acquisition and maintenance of major equipment and naval assets With ICC, combined naval patrols between ECASS and ECOWAS
CONCLUSION The response initiative of head of states of Central Africa through the ECCAS maritime strategy is a good step to overcome asymmetric threats that undermined many members states economies that depend mainly on oil offshore production. The fact that ECOWAS has taken into account ECCAS recommendations and lessons learned should enable all gulf of Guinea countries to ensure the security of this vital maritime area. For more better results, cooperation with strategic partners associated with African states efforts should allow gulf of Guinea to secure its resources and heritage for better development
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HIGH ATTENTION