The Foundation for Democracy in Africa African Port Security: Crisis on the Water’s Edge
What is the ISPS Code The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is an agency of the United Nations
What are the requirements The future of the African continent is inextricably tied to its ability to facilitate regional and global trade
Why this is important African countries that are required to comply with the ISPS Code compliance deadline West Africa Benin Cameroon Cape Verde Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Conakry Liberia Nigeria Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Southern Africa Angola Comoros Madagascar Mauritius Namibia Seychelles South Africa East Africa Kenya Mozambique Tanzania The Horn of Africa Djibouti Eritrea Somalia Sudan North Africa Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Tunisia Western Sahara
Non-Compliant Ports African countries that have failed to meet the compliance deadline Benin Democratic Republic of Congo Equatorial Guinea Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Madagascar Mozambique Nigeria Sierra Leone
ISPS Code Compliance Audits European and US government teams will soon begin conducting audits to confirm ISPS Code compliance
Why non-compliance? Lack of Awareness Some governments don’t understand the code requirements, or the potential consequences of non- compliance Financial Limitations Some ports cannot afford the improvements in their physical infrastructures required by the code Lack of Concern Some governments are focused on issues they view as being a more immediate or significant concern
Recommended Solutions Education Identify those countries that are on the edge of crisis and provide them with education so they can make informed decisions Identify Funding Governments need to work with industry partners, regional development banks, and other parties to identify develop creative strategies for funding necessary infrastructure improvements. Government Involvement Industry needs to vigorously encourage and support African governments to give port security the attention and resources it requires.
Conclusions African governments must comply with IMO requirements Implementation and maintenance of security programs must be performed in order to ensure ongoing compliance Priorities for maritime security training must be established and executed Success will require national and regional governmental coordination and support Industry cooperation and active participation is critical Failure will lead to restrictions on maritime commerce between Africa and its international trading partners The following should be kept in mind when discussing economic development in Africa
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