Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Preamble
Whereas the represented Chiefs of African Navies and Coast Guards and Inland Countries,
having gathered with members of the international maritime community for the Third
convention of the Sea Power for Africa Symposium in Cape Town over 08 – 12 March 2009;
And having engaged in dialogue on a number of matters crucial to the effective maritime
governance for Africa;
And recognising that such effective maritime governance is inextricably linked to the human
security and sustainable development of the people of the Continent;
And affirming that such effective maritime governance is founded upon structured
collaboration and co-operation, and underpinned by trust and the consolidation of the good
relations between the Navies of the Continent;
And affirming the collaborative efforts of the members of the international community in
supporting the African maritime security agenda and urging that such support and
collaboration continue through the Sea Power for Africa initiative, in pursuit of the peace,
safety and prosperity of the Continent and its people;
And acknowledging the value of maritime resources to the people of Africa and the inherent
dangers to all who use the seas for their livelihoods upon the bordering waters of our
Continent;
And recognising the vulnerabilities of our oceans and seas, both to environmental
degradation and climate change, and piracy and other unlawful maritime acts along the
African coast;
And recognising the need for the cooperation and full involvement of land locked countries,
and other African coastal states seriously disadvantaged by lack of capacity to govern their
maritime zones;
• The need for structured continental and regional co-operation to address matters of
maritime security and governance, whether these be in the form of bilateral, multi-
lateral or other agreements or arrangements;
• The need to maximise potential areas of Continental and Regional co-operation,
which include but are not limited to, joint surveillance, law enforcement, inter-agency
co-operation, civil society structures, hot pursuit agreements, data sharing, command
and control integration, hydrography and training support;
• The requirement to establish Continental and Regional agreements, arrangements, and
capabilities including, but not limited to, such common agendas as Search and
Rescue, Humanitarian Crises and Disaster Relief
• The inclusion of all landlocked countries in deliberations
• The need to capacitate and support the Maritime Office of the African Union and to
promote and co-ordinate co-operation in accordance with its Mandate inter alia by:
o secondment of specialist support staff; and
o co-ordination of inter continental co-operation
International Co-operation
• The need for maritime interaction with overseas partners to enhance interoperability,
information sharing and international stability
• To assist international efforts to eradicate the illegal use of the seas around Africa
Landlocked States
• The call for the full participation and co-operation of landlocked countries to the
governance of Africa’s maritime zones
• The imperative for leading African maritime nations to assist the disadvantaged
coastal and inland states who lack the capacity to secure their maritime zones
• The inclusion of all landlocked states, agreements and contributions (material, human)
in keeping with, inter alia, the provisions of United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea.
• The imperative for all Regions and Member State countries to act upon the resolutions
emanating from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sea Power for Africa Symposia
Securing a mandate
• The overriding obligation placed on all African Countries to bring to the attention of
their people and their governments the critical importance of the maritime domain to
their economic well being
• The obligation placed upon participating delegates to present the proceedings of the
Third Sea Power for Africa Symposium, together with the associated resolutions, to
their own principals in order to achieve endorsement and support by own
Governments. Having secured officially mandated support and direction, this will
facilitate the initiatives of, inter alia, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.