More than 90 percent of the world’s trade travels by sea. Submarine cables transmit 95 percent of telecommunications data and roughly $10 trillion per day. Cutting one group of such cables could black out a third of the world’s Internet. The maritime smuggling of drugs, oil, antiquities, charcoal, ivory, and other goods facilitates transnational criminal networks and funds terrorist groups. Weapons trafficking fuels conflicts around the globe, and with more private armed activity at sea, the line between state and non-state action is blurring when it comes to maritime security.
Life as we know it today depends heavily on the maritime environment, and thus, maritime security is an integral albeit often invisible safeguard to our modern way of life.
In Africa, as in the rest of the world, the maritime domain is the lifeblood of the economy and, in many cases, central to both food security and food sovereignty.
Beyond what comes into African ports, a tremendous amount is exported as well. Historically, those exports have been primarily raw materials—gold, diamond, minerals, fish, cotton, cocoa, timber, and other agricultural and extractive goods.
Access to safe, secure maritime transit routes will be vital to the successful integration of those products into the global marketplace. Economically, therefore, the maritime domain is central to Africa’s development and prosperity.
In Africa—more than in other parts of the world—fish constitute a major source of food. In some countries, 90 percent of dietary protein comes from fish. That means that, beyond the economic importance of the maritime domain, some African countries rely on marine fisheries for the physical survival of their populations. Any interruptions in access to fish constitutes a threat to food security in these countries.
CENTER FOR AFRICAN STUDIES
Center for Africa Studies (AFRAM) which located in Ankara, is an organization facilitating under the administration of African Affairs Council (AFAC). It makes various researches about Africa to enhance economic and cultural bounds between Africa and Turkey. AFRAM’s publishings has been shared with different institutions as they require to obtain.
AFRICA OBSERVATORY
Africa Observatory is one the publishing of AFRAM and it has been published each two weeks. It has been delivered to different institutions via e-mail.