The successes and struggles of multilateralism: African maritime security and strategy

Abstract

Cooperation between states in multilateral institutions is acknowledged as one of the key ways to address common maritime security challenges. The transnational nature of crimes and threats at sea constrains the ability of states and agencies to cope and respond. A number of multilateral treaties and conventions play an important role in addressing these maritime security challenges by encouraging cooperation and the enforcement of common norms and rules. Research on multilateral cooperation regarding maritime security at the regional level is well advanced in both South East Asia and Europe, yet insufficient attention has been paid to similar multilateral cooperation initiatives in the African maritime security context. African multilateral cooperation involves some of the most complicated ongoing efforts in both establishing and consolidating maritime security cooperation between states. A detailed case study of African Union’s efforts to bring together its member states to address the maritime security challenges facing them helps illustrates some of background and theory, as well as successes and struggles, and contributes to a richer understanding of how multilateral cooperation influences and improves maritime security.