With over 30,000 kms of coastline, Africa has several key and strategic geographic locations which are considered as emerging trade hubs and play a vital role in the continent’s socio-economic prosperity and the growth of global commerce.
However, maritime insecurity presents a critical challenge to the continent, hindering it from unlocking its maritime potential. Crimes, including piracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and oil bunkering are increasing and pose serious threats to the seafarers. According to the International Maritime Bureau, 90% of the world’s maritime piracy crimes take place in the Gulf of Guinea alone.
This increase in maritime illegal activity, has urged the local and regional authorities to work collaboratively on adopting maritime domain awareness and counterpiracy, and illegal activity monitoring and prevention strategies and solutions that can enable them to safeguard security and safety of seafarers, including oil companies and fishing and shipping lines passing or operating on the continent’s waters.
Secure Waters Africa Digital Conference, taking place on the 9th- 10th September 2020, will bring together senior officials from key African countries’ Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guards and Law Enforcement Authorities. This platform aims at identifying and discussing innovative strategies and solutions, such as C4ISR, drones, and surveillance systems, that will help African military and law enforcement agencies prevent and counter maritime threats and illegal activities and increase the continent’s territorial and international waters security. The conference is conducted for 3.5 hours on each day using bespoke online video conferencing technology allowing industry experts and stakeholders to participate as the physical conference environment is recreated online.
