Maritime Counterterrorism in Africa: The Need for Proper Governance

The ocean economy is crucial to global economic growth and development. Whilst offering great opportunities it is also associated with risks. Global maritime security challenges are pervasive, including piracy, smuggling, poaching, illegal migrations, marine pollution and terrorism. Security challenges in the African maritime domain are exacerbated by the weakness of states and institutions, corruption, ineffective policing, lack of sustainable development and economic growth, insufficient regional and international security cooperation as well as political dissent that could take various forms. Although maritime terrorism is currently not a major security threat to Africa, organised violence aimed at civilians and a rise in the activities of extremist groups (also in coastal regions) stimulate complex and enduring conflicts as well as terror activities. Contrary to oft-held beliefs about the political and religious roots of terrorism, it frequently results from widespread corruption, a crisis in governance, rising rates of youth unemployment and poverty. This chapter argues that proper governance is necessary to combat marine counterterrorism in the African context. It is of specific relevance as the potential exists for growing terror threats ashore spilling over into the maritime domain. As with maritime piracy, solutions originate ashore, with an emphasis on development, security and good governance. States must be able to uphold and implement international and regional security frameworks as well as national law since they bear the same obligations in their territorial waters as they do on land. Good governance is required for this.