
Maritime Security Strategy Development & Implementation:
A Focus on Africa
Date: 7, 14, 21, 28 Sept & 5, 12 Oct 2023
Time: 1:00pm to 3:00pm GMT
Venue: Online - Zoom
Rationale Overview
For decades, the African continent has been confronted by an extensive range of maritime security threats and challenges, each of which cannot be thoroughly addressed without strategic guidance. Consequently, the continent witnessed a proliferation of strategy documents such as the 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy in 2012, the Lomé Charter in 2016 and the Africa Blue Economy Strategy in 2019. At the national level, some African states also began processes towards developing comprehensive maritime strategies. Whether or not each of these strategies are on course to achieving their intended objectives still remains an issue of debate.
With a growing recognition amongst African states of the geo-economic importance of the continent's vast maritime domain comes a responsibility to ensure its protection at all levels. Effective maritime security strategies could provide a unique framework for attaining this. What remains crucial then, is to ground relevant maritime practitioners and policy makers in the theoretical and practical underpinnings necessary eitherto develop purposeful and targeted maritime security strategies, or to successfully implement existing ones within national and regional contexts. This course is intended to provide such grounding. By exposing participants to key principles and best practices for developing maritime security strategies, the programme will expand expertise necessary to ensure that African states have the strategic guidance they truly need to address their peculiar mix of maritime threats and challenges
Course Outcomes
Beyond the immediate objectives identified earlier, extensive participation in the course by a broad range of stakeholders across the continent should result in the following medium to long-term outcomes:
Generate expertise necessary to enhance maritime security strategy development processes across the continent.
Foster more effective inter-agency coordination towards implementation of maritime security strategies.
Enhance the implementation of existing continental, regional and national strategies in Africa.
Enhance networking opportunities and collaboration among participating stakeholders involved in maritime security across Africa.
Course Modules/Topics
The following modules/topics will be covered within the course:
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Fundamentals of Critical Thinking for Maritime Security Practitioners
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Contemporary Maritime Security Challenges in Africa
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Conducting a Maritime Threat Assessment
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Overview of Existing Maritime Security Strategies in Africa
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Inter-agency Coordination in Maritime Security Governance
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The Strategy Development Process: A Roadmap
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Establishing Mechanisms/Frameworks forInter-agency Coordination
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Tools & Techniques for Effective Implementation of Maritime Security
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Strategies
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Case Studies & Best Practices
Course Director
Dr. Alberta Ama Sagoe,
Director, Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute
Course Beneficiaries
While all persons with an interest in strengthening maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea can participate in the course, it is primarily intended for the following beneficiaries.
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Staff of national and regional maritime institutions and agencies across Africa, including maritime law enforcement officers
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African policy-makers
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Maritime legal practitioners, security experts and consultants
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Staff of NGOs and academic institutions contributing to (or who wish to build potential to contribute to) national, regional or continental maritime strategy documents
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Representatives of international organisations and development agencies
involved in maritime security in Africa -
Students in various ocean governance or maritime security related fields, interested in expanding their expertise on maritime strategy development
ADMISSION FEE FOR THIS COURSE IS $450.00 $405.00
Discount ends July 31st
10% discount for early bird registration and members of the Institute