The
Gulf of Guinea (GoG) is unarguably one of the most dangerous maritime spaces in
the world as it now attracts war insurance premium. Threatened by increased
piracy, illegal fishing, resource theft and general insecurity, the GoG is
analogous to a large swathe of honey in a thorn cluster.
Strategic
and lucrative but highly dreaded maritime corridor, the region produces 3
million liters of crude oil daily with 40 percent destined for Europe and the
U.S receiving about 30 percent. The recent discovery of offshore hydrocarbon
deposits in the region has enhanced its status as a geostrategic region in the
world. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), 53 piracy attacks
or attempted attacks were recorded in the Gulf of Guinea in 2016 representing
28% of worldwide attacks– including 36 for Nigeria. This region now accounts
for 50% of global kidnapping for ransom, making it an extremely dangerous route
for maritime business.
On
3 July, 2001, States of the region established the Gulf of Guinea Commission
(GGC) to tackle the aforementioned problems but with the specific mandate to
ensure “cooperation amongst the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea in order
to defend their common interest and promote peace and socio-economic
development based on the bases of dialogue, consensus, ties of friendship,
solidarity and fraternity”. The treaty was signed in Libreville, Gabon, by the
founding member States including Angola, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea,
Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe. Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of
Congo joined the Commission in 2008 for purposes of peace, security and
socio-economic development. Ghana, in 2013, applied to join the GGC, but that
application is yet to be perfected.
Seventeen
years after the GGC was established, there is little to show in terms of concrete
achievements. It's acutely disheartening that leaders in the seven member
States of the GGC are only beginning to realize the importance of the region
and the future potentials of its immense resources. The blame lays squarely
with the leadership of the GGC. As revealed by the director-general of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku
Peterside, during a recent Chatham House speech, “65% of cargo coming into Gulf
of Guinea end up in Nigeria; it accounts for 50% – 60% major maritime security
incidents that occur in the Gulf of Guinea”. IMB reports show that in 2016,
there were 53 incidents of piracy or attempted piracy in the GoG with Nigeria
alone recording 34 of those attempts. Angola had 5, Congo had 5, Benin had two,
Togo had one and Ghana had only one incident. Out of the 16 crew kidnapping
cases in the region in 2016, ten were in Nigeria while 56 Mariners were
kidnapped in 2017 alone off the Niger Delta. These challenges call for a robust
response and committed leadership in that regard.
The
GGC has a total population of approximately 337.4 million people with Nigeria
having at least 55% of that. The second most populous country in the region
after Nigeria is the Democratic Republic of Congo with 84 million people
showing that benefits of a prosperous GGC will accrue to Nigeria the most just
like the losses are devolving on her. Ironically, since the establishment of
the GGC, it has never received more than 50% funding of its budget. As revealed
by GGC Executive Secretary, Ambassador Florentina Adenike Ukonga, during a GGC
experts meeting held in early 2018, Abuja, since 2009, the budget of the GGC
has been pegged at the same level. Meanwhile, only 25% of the annual budget has
been released in the last three years. The reality is fraught with total
neglect of the commission by the founding States. At the 4th Assembly of Heads
of State and Government of the GGC held in Abuja in November 2017, none of the
GGC Head of States was in attendance. At best, they sent their Vice-Presidents
or Prime Ministers with some States sending Foreign Ministers. Such attitude
speaks to the value and importance the members attach to their agency.
Interestingly,
at that Assembly, Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, emerged as the Chairperson
of the GGC, a cap Nigeria should naturally wear with pride given its vantage
position in the region. Yet, nothing seems to be changing. There's palpable
distrust of Nigeria and her commitments by other member States of the GGC. Such
attitude can be addressed and the mistrust doused via exemplary leadership.
President Buhari perhaps needs to borrow a leaf from Paul Kagame of Rwanda who
on emerging the African Union President earlier in the year, set four African
Union flagship projects of the Agenda 2063 in motion including the popular
Single African Air Travel Market (SAATM); African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA); and Freedom of Movement Protocol. To back up its commitment, the
Rwandan parliament has now ratified all the instruments of the AfCFTA, which it
signed in March becoming the first AU country to do so. Such defining exemplary
leadership is what Nigeria must replicate in the GGC for any progress to be
achieved.
The
Way Forward
Blue/Ocean
economy is worth $7 trillion globally. A huge portion of the Atlantic Ocean
consists of the present Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria needs to take advantage of the
resources and potentials of this rich region to empower the mostly unemployed
youths in this region within the next few years. Not doing so will be
tantamount to a remarkable failure of leadership and foster insecurity in the
GoG.
GGC
holds immense promise and opportunities not just for the prosperity of the
region, but for all of the entire of Africa. It has global strategic
importance as the region hosting the U.S. Africa Command (AfriCOM) and the core
of AfriCOM’s area of responsibility. Meanwhile, illegal fishing is a daily
occurrence in waters around the GoG, but arresting violators and interdicting
scofflaw's vessels will not solve the problem. Nigeria must strategically
harness these resources to empower citizens and create an enviable livelihood.
Collaboration with GCC members remains a priority.
Now
that Western nations are drawing close to the GoG especially following the
recent discovery of hydrocarbon deposits, it is crucial that Nigeria stamps her
authority as the go-to partner in the region with influence on what happens and
what doesn't. Nigeria as a matter of priority should endeavor to fund at least
50% of the GGC budget yearly, more so with a Nigerian serving as the Executive
Secretary of the Commission. Such practical assertiveness will not make her a
detested regional hegemon. Rather it will speak to her being the driver of collective
security and underline the essence of shared responsibilities with each state
lifting at her level. Nigeria can also extend a hand of partnership to Africa's
new-found partner, China, on the GoG. Funding GGC could be one of our main
proposals to China at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit that
will be held this September in Beijing. Considering Chinese investment on the
ambitious “belt and road” initiative and partnership with the A.U. on Agenda
2063, China will relish an opportunity to help in the GoG.
Concluding
Thoughts
With
the spillover effect of the Libyan crisis on the GoG now manifesting fully with
the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), the need for
cooperation has become compelling. Engaging fully and robustly in the GCC
sphere is both a political and strategic imperative for Nigeria. She is being
looked up to by her neighbors and partners to assume a proactive leadership
role. Moreover, the rich resources of Nigeria and Angola, if well-managed and
deployed, will sufficiently fund 100% of the GGC budget without affecting both
countries’ primary financial commitments at the national and other
international levels. But one thing is clear, if Nigeria fails to assume its
leadership responsibilities in the GGC, no other country will at this point,
except if to play proxy to external interests. Hence, the policy relating to
GCC must be reviewed, and made more robust. Both national and regional
strategic consideration compels that this subject must be accorded priority in
the immediate term.
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Udeh is
a Research Associate at Selonnes Consult Ltd; Obaze is MD/CEO
Selonnes Consult Ltd. Awka.
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