The central theme of this paper argues that maritime counter piracy activities at sea must be supported and reinforced by a core of highly skilled and well-educated African maritime professionals. Predominantly, they will be working from key positions ashore, from where they will be able to effectively influence and strive for a safe and secure maritime and riverine environment, using an approach that is based on up-to-date knowledge and comprehensive understanding. This theme is inspired by initiatives that seek to improve the Revised African Maritime Transport Charter,⁽²⁾ as well as other initiatives in the field of maritime education and training. A safe and secure maritime and riverine environment, managed by maritime professionals, is conditional to an increased participation in world trade. Such increased participation in global trade can be an engine for growth and poverty reduction in developing countries, by generating revenues and employment, lowering prices on essential goods and promoting technology transfer and increased productivity.⁽³⁾ This paper is the third in a series of CAI articles ⁽⁴⁾ focused on the challenges facing the concerted development of Africa’s maritime, riverine and Great Lakes domains.

The article first looks at a possible concept aimed at the fusion and acceleration of these developments by way of the Maritime Education and Awareness Initiative designed, to achieve that much needed traction and momentum in the field of maritime education. In Part 2, the paper highlights some of the developments set in motion in the area of structuring and linking maritime education. It then advocates a precursor pilot scheme, a vehicle for preliminary assessment of the viability of the envisaged Maritime Education and Awareness Initiative concept. It concludes by suggesting that the aforementioned pilot project, initially hosted by one, possibly two African universities, and in tandem with a comprehensive feasibility study, will contribute to accelerating the realisation of coherent programmes and policies necessary to mainstream both maritime education and security development in Africa’s littoral, riverine and Great Lakes regions. In this way, this Maritime Education and Awareness Initiative will make its contribution to combating the many and different unlawful, illicit maritime activities that pester the African continent, and which deny most coastal nations their rightful and much needed revenues.

‘Maritime Education and Awareness’ is to be accepted as an integral pillar of any capacity building effort directed at state building and good governance on the African continent. In fact, the authors consider it one of the cornerstones of a much needed multidimensional approach that strives for an enduring littoral and riverine security in Africa. Of course, this goes as well for those other global spots that suffer from lack of maritime governance and due diligence. Acting in cooperation with, and building on, the academic community, as well as non-state actors like industry, it constitutes an ‘indirect comprehensive approach’ to solving the problem of enduring insecurity.

Sea Blindness

In abstract terms, the expression ‘Sea Blindness’⁽⁵⁾ can be summarised as not recognising the strategic importance of present and future safeguarding of the free use of the sea, with commensurate capabilities available to assure (and if necessary enforce) that inherent right. It demonstrates the lack of awareness amongst the general public about how most nations are totally dependent on the sea for most of their food supplies, goods and energy that modern life depends upon.⁽⁶⁾ For all intents and purposes, it also implies that nations that rely on the sea as a safe and secure conduit for commerce to flow uninterruptedly, and an increasingly vital source for feeding their populations, still have not got their narratives and communication strategies quite right, and mutually coordinated. All too often, the maritime security narrative does not reach beyond explaining tactical level operations at sea and closer to shore. In a similar vein, the inherent risks associated with the growing number of offshore extractive industries, such as platform security, environmental disaster prevention and potential territorial disputes, are frequently not presented and explained in a holistic manner to the general public.

By not emphasising the aforementioned dependencies and risks, these narratives not only fail to demonstrate insufficient articulation of national and regional strategic imperatives, they also fail to highlight the need to use non-military and academic tools to seek progress and governance in the maritime domain. Whilst ‘Sea Blindness’ – at best – poses the inherent risk of endangering established economies, it is stifling for emerging markets, most notably on the African continent. Not recognising these risks, and failing to act, constitutes a significant act of political negligence.

Maritime education – not quite mainstream

This section discusses a snapshot of what is being done, as well as some initiatives and ideas that are presently being discussed, but have not yet led to persistent, concrete and long-lasting activity. Of note is that maritime education has been recognised as a critical area, but – and that is the opinion of the authors – it is not quite mainstream on the African continent, with sufficient empowerment also being introduced at the lower levels of responsibility.

The African Maritime Safety and Security Agency (AMSSA) website ⁽⁷⁾ lists several initiatives that have gained some traction. Firstly, the formation of the African led Maritime Safety & Security International Centre of Excellence (MSS-ICE) seeks to create a global platform in the fields of marine and maritime safety, security research, education and training. This platform strives for the free movement of knowledge, researchers and technology, with the aim of increasing cooperation, stimulating competition and achieving a better allocation of resources. The second AMSSA initiative is the African Maritime Safety & Security Institute (AMSSI), whose primary mission is to bring together all those who are active in African-based research and development, or who have an active and reputable industry-based, professional or academic interest in African safety and security. Its purpose is to accelerate the exchange of knowledge, thus developing a vibrant pool of experts.

Two statements are also worthy of note. Firstly, the Vice President of the Tanzanian Republic, Mohammed Gharib Bilal, while officiating the East African Higher Education Forum (23 – 28 October 2012), themed ‘Linking Universities to industry for Building Knowledge-Based Economies and Regional Integration in East Africa’, said:

Universities and higher education in general, and the private sector have to work closely, so as to make significant and complementary contributions to the socio-economic development of the bloc by transforming the economies and promoting the livelihood of the societies in general.

He further noted the need to harmonise higher education and training systems that will facilitate free mobility of the youths to study in a university of their choice in any Partner State, and at the same time to enable cross-border mobility of the graduates.⁽⁸⁾

The second press statement of relevance, released on 2 November 2012, concerned the meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC), which stated:

We attach high importance to our cooperation in the academic and Science & Technology area. The Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group should (continue) pursue well-thought out initiatives of relevance to our region and member states, implement them in a timely manner, and consider possibilities of promoting exchanges of scholars and scientific and technical experts in this context.⁽⁹⁾

All these initiatives, developments and statements are proof that some of the acute requirements ⁽¹⁰⁾ in the maritime domain are being addressed in appropriate fora. Nevertheless, the envisaged Maritime Education and Awareness Initiative programmes and activities must go even further. For instance, they must include awareness of preparing contingencies for significant weather events that can threaten the often fragile critical infrastructures and eco-systems in the littoral. Equally, they should encourage maritime professionals to become pro-actively involved in the spatial planning of future maritime and marine eco-projects, and be conscious of the associated ecological ⁽¹¹⁾ and socio-demographic aspects. And, by doing this in as joined-up a manner as possible, they should systematically work towards achieving that much needed comprehensive local, sub-regional and regional resilience in the maritime, littoral and riverine domains. Most of all, it will directly underpin and operationalise the aforementioned Revised African Maritime Transport Charter as a key vehicle for Africa’s maritime renaissance.

But all this poses the questions of who will stand up, and who has the capacity and tenacity to champion this agenda till the bitter end?

Roadmap towards ‘Mainstream’

‘Why a Maritime Education and Awareness Initiative in addition to the aforementioned initiatives?’ is the first question to be answered. To set the scene, our present and future maritime professionals work in a dynamic, multi-facetted, fluid and rapidly changing environment in which socio-economic challenges abound. Coming to thoroughly understand and respond effectively to this environment, with the many social systems that each bring their own multiple challenges, is vital for smart performance at work, be it at sea, in the ports or at ministerial levels. Our maritime professionals need to become familiar with ways of investigating professional experience, linking both practice and the analysis of practice into a unified and continuous sequence.⁽¹²⁾

It is for these reasons that the authors view proper maritime education programmes, training and continuously educating a core of skilled and well-educated maritime professionals, men as well as women, who occupy key positions where it matters, will positively influence broader area development. This also chimes with the United Nations Secretary General’s address ⁽¹³⁾ during the debate on maritime piracy as a threat to international peace and security, delivered on 19 November 2012 at the Security Council in New York. Proper maritime education means an up-to-date robust maritime curriculum that is taught by professionals on a full-time basis. It means linking universities across the globe, ensuring up-to-date knowledge management, joint research, technological developments, concepts, use of virtual and simulation training aids, and updates and validated best practices being readily available and shared.

Figure 1. The cross-cutting – cross-sectoral function of Maritime Education.⁽¹⁴⁾

Figure 1 illustrates the cross-cutting, cross-sectoral aspects of maritime education and awareness. It will be able to connect the so often stove-piped pillars between the traditional ‘military’ environments like sea, land, and air, but also within the various pillars of governance and other agencies. Put differently, the existing pillars would greatly benefit from a better level of maritime awareness, which in turn allows them to better understand and appreciate prevailing maritime issues and challenges, and how these affect their own daily businesses. Furthermore, time-sensitive cross-border security cooperation in the littoral and riverine domains is greatly enhanced when key civilian and military decision-makers of the nations involved come to know each other – avoiding ‘coordination and control seams’ from being exploited by the perpetrators.⁽¹⁵⁾ Knowledge earns its real value when it is exchanged, shared and applied by those that are entitled to the information.

Figure 2. Career Progression and Mobility.⁽¹⁶⁾

Figure 2 illustrates that someone who starts his/her career at sea may subsequently assume a position within the port authority. He or she will then go to university or another institution for additional education and will return to the port as a port security officer or harbour master. The next step in their career could be a managerial or research position with an agency, and finally at the ministry of transport, or within other ministries ⁽¹⁷⁾ and organs of state that have a direct stake in maritime security. A funding scheme will be established to support costs incurred by attending overseas courses, internships, etc. So, in more simple terms, this individual would move from a hands-on, grassroots position all the way to a managerial position to drive change, enhancing interaction with governance and stakeholders, introduce innovative technologies, and ultimately, prioritising and implementing issue and evidence-based policy based on personal, first-hand experiences, thorough knowledge and managerial skillsets. He or she would be ideally placed to inculcate within the maritime community a culture of setting and maintaining high standards of corporate social responsibility (CSR), accountability and of corporate governance principles in their broadest sense. By doing so, he or she will likely become a passionate mentor for the younger maritime generation for the rest of his or her life.

Figure 2 also implies job mobility. The authors assume that the younger generations in Africa will embrace all opportunities on offer, especially when this comprises the possibility of moving within the region and beyond. But what is more important, they should primarily move around within the Continent, ensuring that their knowledge is put to best use within Africa (brain and financial gain), and not ‘exported’ in the hope for better jobs abroad (brain and financial drain). It is this ‘engagement through mobility’ that builds genuinely sustainable and effective networks within the wider maritime community. As such, it is more inter-personal, ‘hearts and minds’ type of investment that needs to mature over time and cannot be substituted by over-reliance on past acquaintances and patronage, distant learning programmes and social media networks alone.⁽¹⁸⁾

So, how is this then achieved, or rather managed?

Click here to read Part II

Written by Marco Hekkens ⁽¹⁾ and Suzanne Visschedijk ⁽¹⁾

NOTES:

(1) Contact Marco Hekkens and Suzanne Visschedijk through Consultancy Africa Intelligence's Africa Watch Unit ( conflict.terrorism@consultancyafrica.com). This paper was developed with the assistance of Denine Walters and edited by Nicky Berg.
(2) Adopted by the 15th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union in Kampala, Uganda, on 26 July 2010. See the African Union website at http://www.au.int.
(3) ‘Aid for trade – Delivering on EU commitments’, European Commission, 18 November 2011, http://ec.europa.eu.
(4) Hekkens, M.J.M.S., ‘Maritime and riverine security investments – A cure to avoid migration patterns of Black Swans towards the Central African lakes and waterways? Part I’, CAI, 16 February 2012, http://www.consultancyafrica.com;    Hekkens, M.J.M.S., ‘Maritime and riverine security investments – A cure to avoid migration patterns of Black Swans towards the Central African lakes and waterways? Part 2’, CAI, 16 February 2012, http://www.consultancyafrica.com; Hekkens, M.J.M.S. and Brettle, A., ‘Countering unlawful activities in the African littoral: The search for coherency, primacy and trust’, CAI, 18 June 2012, http://www.consultancyafrica.com.
(5) Gerard, J., ‘Ministers accused of 'sea blindness' by Britain's most senior Royal Navy figure’, The Daily Telegraph, 12 June 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk.
(6) Save the Royal Navy website, http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org.
(7) African Maritime Safety and Security Agency website, http://www.amssa.net.
(8) ‘Eac, Eabc And Iucea link universities to business community through the first ever Higher Education Forum from 23Rd to 26Th October 2012’, East African Business Council,  http://eabc.info.
(9) ‘12th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Iorarc Gurgaon communiqué - Iorarc At 15 - the Next Decade’, Department of International Relations & Cooperation, Republic of South Africa, http://www.dfa.gov.za.
(10) Not just piracy or armed robbery, but also the fluid and diversified industry of transnational organised crime; resource-security related activities such as dumping raw, un-recycled waste; the loss of national revenues due to illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, gem and cigarette smuggling; the wilful pollution and environmental damage by syphoning of oil, and the effects of illegal logging and poaching. See also: http://www.gfintegrity.org.
(11) See for an interesting parallel: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.
(12) Udemans, F., 2012. Systemic solution architecture for systemic socio-economic challenges, The Thinker, 44, pp. 30 -32.
(13) The address was delivered by the Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, See http://maritime-executive.com.
(14) Compiled by the author (Hekkens, M.J.M.S.), presentation delivered during the Maritime Security Roundtable Seminar, Brussels, 29 November 2012, http://maritime.parlicentre.org.
(15) Hekkens, M.J.M.S., ‘Maritime and riverine security investments – A cure to avoid migration patterns of Black Swans towards the Central African lakes and waterways? Part 1’,CAI, 16 February 2012, http://www.consultancyafrica.com.
(16) In particular the ministries and departments of Foreign Affairs; Interior; Infrastructure; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Environment; Justice; Communications, Economy; Tourism; Finance; Education and Defence.
(17) Novondwe, L., 2012. Corporate Governance Principles – Lessons to be learnt, The Thinker, 44, pp. 16-21,
(18) Van der Meer Mohr, P., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Erasmus University Rotterdam, statement during opening address of 12,5 Year Celebration Earth Charter, 17 December 2012, http://www.ourmovingborders.com.