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Stellenbosch - There is a dire need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the link between maritime security and Africa’s prosperity, according to Professor Francois Vreÿ, an associate professor at the Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University.
About 60% of Africa’s population lives within 160km of the sea, 90% of Africa’s trade is via the sea, and 200 million Africans depend on fish as a protein resource.
This means that a substantial proportion of Africa’s economic, and by implication political, activities are closely connected to good order at sea.
The faculty, in cooperation with the Royal Danish Defence College and the University of Dar es Salaam, hosted the third On Strategy conference from September 18 to 20 2013.
The theme was Maritime Security off Eastern Africa: Beyond Piracy.
The maritime dimension embraces virtually every major issue that confronts the east African region at present, said Vreÿ.
"Though the seas off the Eastern African coast have been plague by piracy it became quite clear that good order at sea comprises much more than piracy."
Piracy, though, made an important contribution in raising maritime awareness in Africa in general and East Africa in particular.
"In Africa, the debate on good order at sea is often underpinned by questions about whose interests are served by the safety and security of the maritime domain and who is benefitting from good order at sea," said Vreÿ.
"In Africa, with its many lakes and large rivers, the importance of the inland maritime domain is growing. This is linked to the reality that inland states are heavily dependent on their coastal neighbours for access to the sea."
The cost of transport, access to markets and instability in coastal states negatively influence many land-lock countries in Africa.
Consequently, good order at sea translates into economic growth and development for both coastal states and their land-lock neighbours.
"The question about the cost for Africa of not investing in the development and safeguarding of the maritime domain and maritime infrastructure is closely linked to the rising role and increasing participation of private security companies in safeguarding the seas and maintaining good order at sea," according to Vreÿ.
"The role of private security companies should be seen against the background of the lack, the cost and the underdeveloped state of Africa’s naval capabilities."
The lack of a comprehensive maritime awareness in Africa challenges navies in "selling the sea" to political office bearers and local communities.
Navies, in securing good order at sea, face the additional challenge that existing naval technology and platforms were developed for high intensity military roles and that they need to re-orientate available platforms, technologies and existing mind frames, according to Vreÿ.
- Fin24
About 60% of Africa’s population lives within 160km of the sea, 90% of Africa’s trade is via the sea, and 200 million Africans depend on fish as a protein resource.
This means that a substantial proportion of Africa’s economic, and by implication political, activities are closely connected to good order at sea.
The faculty, in cooperation with the Royal Danish Defence College and the University of Dar es Salaam, hosted the third On Strategy conference from September 18 to 20 2013.
The theme was Maritime Security off Eastern Africa: Beyond Piracy.
The maritime dimension embraces virtually every major issue that confronts the east African region at present, said Vreÿ.
"Though the seas off the Eastern African coast have been plague by piracy it became quite clear that good order at sea comprises much more than piracy."
Piracy, though, made an important contribution in raising maritime awareness in Africa in general and East Africa in particular.
"In Africa, the debate on good order at sea is often underpinned by questions about whose interests are served by the safety and security of the maritime domain and who is benefitting from good order at sea," said Vreÿ.
"In Africa, with its many lakes and large rivers, the importance of the inland maritime domain is growing. This is linked to the reality that inland states are heavily dependent on their coastal neighbours for access to the sea."
The cost of transport, access to markets and instability in coastal states negatively influence many land-lock countries in Africa.
Consequently, good order at sea translates into economic growth and development for both coastal states and their land-lock neighbours.
"The question about the cost for Africa of not investing in the development and safeguarding of the maritime domain and maritime infrastructure is closely linked to the rising role and increasing participation of private security companies in safeguarding the seas and maintaining good order at sea," according to Vreÿ.
"The role of private security companies should be seen against the background of the lack, the cost and the underdeveloped state of Africa’s naval capabilities."
The lack of a comprehensive maritime awareness in Africa challenges navies in "selling the sea" to political office bearers and local communities.
Navies, in securing good order at sea, face the additional challenge that existing naval technology and platforms were developed for high intensity military roles and that they need to re-orientate available platforms, technologies and existing mind frames, according to Vreÿ.
- Fin24
