Tripartite talks
Actors outside Africa have also been calling for collaborative maritime action. The UN is one of them. It supported the Lomé summit and sent representatives to attend it.
A common approach by the AU, as signaled by the Lomé Charter, would make it easier for the bloc to establish international cooperation. Non-african players have already showed keen interest in establishing a maritime security network with Africa. In 2014, the AU, China and the United States were brought together to discuss peace cooperation by the Carter Center, a non-profit organization founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. This year, the three sides met in Togo in July to discuss maritime security as well as the blue economy in a warm-up to the Togo summit.
The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who attended the tripartite talks, said Africa needs strategic partners to fight maritime piracy and the tripartite talks have reached an understanding for collaboration, especially in the Gulf of Guinea.
“China and the United States, two global powers and members of the UN Security Council, have close relations with Africa. If the two powers can cooperate with Africa, especially in the area of maritime security, Africa will benefit not only from their expertise but also from their technology in fighting against piracy,” Chambas told China’s Xinhua News Agency. “By harmonizing our efforts and means in a win-win partnership, Africa, China and the U.S. will achieve tangible results in the fight against all forms of trafficking through the sea on the African continent.”
Once passed, the Lomé Charter will enable African countries to coordinate their actions, harmonize legal instruments and strengthen their means of surveillance and control of African maritime spaces. This, in turn, will help closer cooperation among the AU, China and the U.S. on maritime security and development.
The Lomé Charter, which emerges as a binding document, will yield a lot of benefit for the continent when it comes into effect following adoption by the parliaments of the 54 member countries. (Reporting from Togo)