The 5th Sea Power for Africa Symposium 2024 (SPAS 24) is currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This event, hosted by the South African Navy from 15 to 16 October, brings together naval leaders, defence experts, policymakers and industry stakeholders from across Africa and beyond, including representatives from BRICS+ and key international partners.
The African continent’s vast and strategically crucial maritime domain faces numerous challenges that threaten economic development and regional stability. With 38 coastal states and island nations, Africa’s maritime security is not only vital for its own prosperity but also for global trade, as over 90% of the continent’s trade and 70% of its oil are transported via sea routes.
Themed “Good Order at Sea in the African Maritime Domain,” the symposium aims to address key maritime security challenges, including sustainable ocean resource use and threats like piracy, illegal fishing, human trafficking, and pollution.
“The 5th Sea Power for Africa Symposium 2024 is currently the only rendezvous on the african continent that brings together senior maritime/navy minds with a strategic blend of maritime academia that interrogates maritime threats and challenges for the entire continent,” said Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga in her opening address.
“The strategic importance of holding regular Sea Power for Africa Symposiums is critical for the eradication of current as well as future challenges within the African maritime domain,” she continued.
In his welcome address, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy, noted that Africa is strategically located between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, yet it struggles to secure its maritime domain. He stressed the urgency of regional cooperation to enhance African maritime security.
Reflecting on the vulnerabilities facing Africa’s coastal regions, Lobese emphasised the need for African navies to become more self-reliant, noting that Africa has a major challenge in terms of not having the ability to secure the continent in the maritime domain environment.
Lobese further noted that Africa’s reliance on external partners to protect its waters is unsustainable. “Our friendly nations must come and join us at sea, not us going there to join them at sea.”
He also underscored the importance of controlling illegal activities like drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal fishing. For example, South Africa alone loses approximately R6 billion annually due to illegal fishing, which, multiplied across the continent, translates into vast economic losses.
Lobese pointed to the urgent need for African states to bolster their naval capabilities, especially Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Regular joint naval exercises are essential to honing skills and ensuring interoperability, Lobese said. He proposed scheduling maritime exercises with other African countries every alternate year, with international collaborations in the intervening years. This strategy aims to keep African navies on par with global standards while fostering closer regional cooperation.
Central to Lobese’s message was the concept of “Sisonke,” an IsiXhosa word meaning “together” or “unity.” Lobese emphasized that maritime cooperation between African navies is essential for addressing shared threats. “African States have no choice but to be together, ‘Sisonke,’” he said.
In line with the Sisonke principle, Lobese suggested that patrols could extend across Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), allowing African navies to operate seamlessly in each other’s waters. Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between coastal states, such as South Africa’s agreements with Tanzania, Mozambique and Namibia, offer a framework for coordinated security efforts.
Lobese called for the establishment of the Combined Exclusive Maritime Zone of Africa (CEMZA), a concept that would foster cooperation across borders, streamline maritime administration and promote intra-African trade.
“CEMZA would assist in ensuring the African continent’s maritime security from an enforcement and governance point of view,” Lobese explained.
Lobese acknowledged that while the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy was a significant step forward, much work remains to be done.
Since the establishment of the 2050 AIM (Africa’s Integrated Maritime) Strategy, 12 years ago, few or none of the objectives have been achieved, he said.
Critical components, such as the establishment of Regional Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) and Maritime Operational Coordination Centres (MOC) need to be prioritised to coordinate patrols effectively and enhance maritime security.
Lobese identified Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) as a vital tool for ensuring security, proposing the integration of national MDA centres with regional ones to improve intelligence sharing. He also urged for the prioritisation of Maritime Operational Coordination (MOC) Centres and regional Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) to strengthen collaborative patrols across Africa’s maritime zones. Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) for information-sharing could help overcome integration challenges.
Lobese stressed that African navies must also take on coast guard functions, given the lack of dedicated coast guard resources across many countries. “Africans have no choice but to work on the principle of Sisonke,” he said. “Cooperation between navies in conducting patrols in the maritime arena of Africa is essential if Africa is to meet the emerging threats and challenges to its maritime security.”
SPAS 24 comes at a time when maritime issues such as the blue economy and maritime domain awareness are moving to the forefront of global policy discussions. With global trade shifting through African waters, particularly with disruptions in the Red Sea, the role of African navies in safeguarding the continent’s maritime interests is more critical than ever.
SPAS 24 marks a renewed commitment to finding African solutions to African challenges. The discussions held over the two days will set the groundwork for future cooperation, resource sharing and joint exercises. The symposium is running alongside Exercise Ibsamar 2024, between the South African, Brazilian, and Indian Navies.
