Closing the response gap: Africa’s landmark maritime security initiative
The Combined Maritime Task Force can tackle Maritime security threats in the Gulf of Guinea given the right legal, technical and financial support.
Commander of the force, Commodore Mohammad Saghir Shettima, shared his views with the Peace and Security Council Report.
How did the Combined Maritime Task Force for the Gulf of Guinea (CMTF-GoG), established in May 2023, come about and what are its priorities?
The growing maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea has attracted global attention, thus during the briefing of the AUPSC the Chief of naval staff of Nigeria along with other relevant stake holders underscored the need to float a collaborative response mechanism to combat piracy and other maritime threats similar to the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) arrangement combating terrorism in the Sahel region.
This led to the call for the establishment of a regional maritime response mechanism by the AUPSC through communique 1012 0f June 2021. Based on the communique of the PSC, the CNSs of Guff of Guinea countries met on the sidelines of the International Maritime Conference in Port Harcourt and formed a multinational expert committee to work out modalities to implement the communiqué through the Port Harcourt Declaration.
Subsequently, the AUPSC continued to support the establishment of the CMTF through Communiqués 1128 of December 2022, 1174, of September 2023, 1209, of April 2024 and most recently 1275 of April 2025.
As the first African-led combined maritime security effort, it is a landmark initiative
The main priority of the CMTF is primarily to pave the way for implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, advance the continental blue economy and build regional capacity to combat transnational criminal networks. These networks are involved in piracy; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; arms and drugs trafficking, irregular migration and oil theft.
What is the relationship between the CMTF and existing regional maritime security initiatives?
The Gulf of Guinea has a number of maritime security initiatives notably the Yaoundé Architecture, which provides an important framework for coordination and information sharing. However, these arrangements do not have a reliable and effective response mechanism thereby reducing the effectiveness in countering maritime security challenges, thus the CMTF is synchronized with existing structures as a standing operational level response mechanism.
In this regard, the CMTF would provide collective response mechanism to complement existing structures with the much-needed kinetic capabilities to respond effectively and decisively to maritime threats and emergencies in the region.
With the CMTF being a first, what lessons can it impart to similar forces in maritime regions such as the Horn of Africa? What are the key enablers or barriers to replicating it?
Continental maritime security in Africa has depended heavily on the goodwill of extra-continental actors, particularly in the Horn of Africa, where the United States and European Union navies, among others, are part of the Combined Maritime Forces.
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African navies can draw on global examples to harmonise and foster deeper cooperation through a framework comprising military and political coordination. The major barrier to expanding the CMTF may be both capacity and the political will of African states.
As gaps in information- and intelligence-sharing affect several regional bodies, what measures exist for the CMTF-GoG to share intelligence among participating states?
The CMTF carefully examined several multinational military outfits around the world and came up with the idea for a mission steering committee as a multinational platform to harmonise stakeholders and political level. This would build trust among states and include a joint intelligence fusion centre, liaison officers and ship riders.
As stated earlier, the CMTF would also leverage on existing structures for information sharing including the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA).
The infrastructure underpinning West African maritime security remains heavily reliant on external partners. How will the CMTF involve non-African actors? And will there be principles and limits for partnership in joint operations, training or intelligence sharing?
As the saying goes: ‘The sea is the common heritage of all mankind’. The region’s major security threat is transnational, hence the need for a transnational response.
Given the vast expanse of the GoG, securing it and deriving maximum benefit from the sea can be achieved only through involvement of global stakeholders. The CMTF’s current concept of operations welcomes all partners to help combat the transnational criminal network.
As it often appears that maritime security is very expensive, how can the CMTF finance itself?
We need to see that the CMTF is providing solutions and economic advancement far greater than what is required to sustain the operations. For instance, there was a newspaper report credited to the Marine and Blue Economy ministry in Nigeria which stated that “Nigeria alone loses about 4 billion US dollars annually to maritime security issues.” But deploying platforms alone cannot fulfil this – only sustainable funding will keep the force operational long term.
The CMTF understudied several multinational military outfits around the world
The CMTF must rely on member states but also seek funding from private industry and the international community, to motivate especially weaker members to deploy naval assets.
Private sector support would lower the funding burden on member states and make the sector an active stakeholder in maritime security.
What institutional, political or operational steps remain to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the CMTF?
At this stage, two things are critical. First, it is important to set up the Mission Steering Committee quickly, to enable transnational interaction at the political level.
Full political level endorsement at regional, continental and global level would give further credence to the CMTF thereby paving way for a sustainable operation of the CMTF towards global peace and stability.
The CMTF demonstrates that Africa can design and implement its own solutions. It complements existing initiatives by adding real response capacity, backed by shared resources and collective political will.
If we can sustain this momentum, while also bringing in the private sector and establishing dedicated structures at the AU level, Africa will finally take ownership of its maritime security.
