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I. Introduction

Two-thirds of Africa's nations have immediate access to a sea of wealth because of the

continent's 16,000 miles of coastline. The fishing and tourist industries in the maritime sector

have tremendous earning potential. Both rural and coastal people rely on it as a crucial source of

livelihood and a significant cultural touchstone. Additionally, having access to the sea affords

Africa a tactical edge in diplomacy, trade, and national growth. Another area of uncertainty that

weakens the security of the African continent is the maritime sphere. In Africa's maritime realm,

transnational risks such as piracy, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and others flourish,

undermining investor confidence and government authority. However, due to a lack of

knowledge, political will, and financial means, maritime security is rarely emphasized in

economic and national defense programs. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies convened

delegates from 12 African nations in Accra, Ghana, on March 2–4, 2016, to evaluate the

procedure for establishing maritime national security strategies as part of efforts to boost

maritime security activities on the continent. The main marine routes encircle Africa, yet despite

being host to more than 15 percent of the global population, Africa's proportion of global trade

(approximately 2%) continues to be relatively modest. A crucial economic engine, 90% of intra-

African trade, particularly two-thirds of its fuel supplies, arrive through the sea, particularly in

light of recent offshore natural gas and oil discoveries found in Mozambique, Angola, and

Nigeria.

Another significant non-oil source of income is the maritime sector. For example, tourism

contributes 12% of Kenya's GDP, 60% of which comes from trips to the seaside.1 Achieving the

1 Muragu, Mercyann Mukami, Israel Nyaburi Nyadera, and Cathrine Wanjiru Mbugua.

"Gearing up for the new normal: Kenya’s tourism sector before and after the COVID-19

pandemic." Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure, and Events (2021): 1-18

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single space the footnote.
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then paper is stronger if you more clearly state what the thesis question is that you will be arguing somewhere here in the first paragraph. This is all good information but the reader doesn't really know what the point of the paper is yet.
Brenden Bliss
first time you mention uncertainty or security so it isn't really "another area". Rephrase.

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levels of growth needed to maintain this enormous population increase will only be achievable if

the marine realm is exploited and secured by 2050 when Africa's population will now have

doubled to 2.5 billion. The African Union claims that there is one weekly pirate raid in the Gulf

of Guinea, which results in a 4.1 percent annual decline in shipping.2 Africa has lost $100 billion

in oil profits since the 1960s due to the instability in its seas, which costs the continent $25

billion annually in piracy in the Gulf of Aden region. Given these figures, it is essential to

consider that piracy should not just be seen as a criminal problem but also as a significant

strategic barrier to Africa's development because trade relies on secure seas, which are highly

firmly dependent on sustainable economic growth. Due to smugglers taking advantage of

Africa's lax customs regulations, maritime law enforcement, lack of government oversight over

maritime territories, and bribery, maritime instability has also contributed to the growth of

transnational firearms and human trafficking. The effects of maritime insecurity have multiplied

as a result.

Additionally, despite the old paradigm's assertion that narcotic use was primarily a

Western problem, numerous African nations have managed to evolve from being mere transit

hubs to crucial markets in the international drug trade, placing additional strain on already fragile

public health services, the rule of law, food security, and public safety. This demonstrates the

importance of maritime security throughout African coastlines, which also clearly reflects the

need for global cooperation to guarantee maritime security. This paper will answer the question

Why is the maritime security of Africa a concern for the International system?

2 Onuoha, Freedom C. "Piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea: Trends,

concerns, and propositions." The Journal of the Middle East and Africa 4, no. 3 (2013): 267-293.

Brenden Bliss
better to move this to the first paragraph. You have just summarized the issue or possible answer in the last two paragraphs so it flows better to ask this earlier and then provide your summary introduction. Also so far everything has been focused on only Africa. It would be better to be clearer in your question if you are meaning African nations when you say "International system", or if you don't then add a little bit more to connect the African concerns of the last three paragraphs to the question asked of why the rest of the world should care about these African problems.
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II. Case Study

A. Africa's Growing Maritime Security Challenge

1. Case study 1

The Nigerian Trawler Owners' Association (NTOA) called in its trawlers in February

2008 and declined to set sail. The year before had been challenging. By the close of 2007, only

170 fishing trawlers were left, down from 250 in 2003 due to a recorded 107 armed robberies.

The beginning of 2008 was considerably worse for NTOA ships, who were the targets of 50

further attacks and ten deaths in just one month. The fact that there was no one to call for

assistance during an attack was one of the many grievances made by NTOA that had been

extensively documented.

NTOA has developed a campaign to persuade the Federal Republic of Nigeria's

government to create a coast guard from several recommendations. The primary defense argues

that the Nigerian navy, among the most advanced in Africa and has a track record of successfully

sailing to South America and Europe, is not equipped to stop piracy and aggravated robbery at

sea.

The maritime security climate in Africa is reflected in Nigeria's experience. Only 5 of the

33 sovereign coastal states in sub-Saharan Africa possess maritime units that can be classified as

coast guards instead of navies: Liberia, Cape Verde (after the law is finalized), the Republic of

Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles. However, threats like drug trafficking, illegal

fishing, and marine disaster response make up most of Africa's maritime security challenges—

threats that need the technical expertise and cooperative ties with civilian groups characteristics

of a coast guard.

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stronger to have a source/citation for this information.

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For Africa, properly addressing such threats is crucial: Inadequate investments and

commerce in Africa are made riskier and more expensive by piracy, which undermines the

continent's economic growth and aggravates its problems with food security. In turn, the

expanding drug trade is providing international crime organizations a foothold inside some

African governments, making it harder for them to resolve other key objectives. Illegal trading

also affects legitimate businesses and global markets, including oil bunkering, the transportation

of fake goods, and theft. In other words, many of Africa's new risks come from the water.

The rest of the globe is directly impacted by Africa's maritime security. Around 60

percent of the $1.8 billion worth of cocaine sold in Europe in 2007 is thought to have originated

in West Africa. Most drugs are transported to Africa by cargo ships, disembarked in fishing and

small boats, and then frequently smuggled overseas. The $438 million in fake malaria drugs and

the $775 million in illegal cigarettes that pass through West Africa annually mostly travel by sea.

Sub-Saharan Africa is thought to lose well over $1 billion annually due to illegal fishing,

predominantly carried out by Asian, European, and African fishing ships. An increasing issue

with more serious ramifications for the continent's safety and the security of the entire world than

is often acknowledged is improving Africa's maritime security capability to address these new

challenges.

2. Case study 2:

According to Stehr (2011), maritime hijacking can be seen as a phenomenon that

emerged very recently. When Somali pirates seized the cruise ship Seabourn Spirit in November

2005, the public became aware of the first incidents of modern piracy. This was followed by

public discussion in the aftermath of the successful hijackings of the supertanker Sirius Star and

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chicago style doesn't need the date info in the body of the paper, just in the footnote.
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not common knowledge that anyone knows so you should have a citation for where this data comes from.
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criminal

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the French luxury yacht in 2008.3 The International Maritime Bureau received its first complaints

of acts of maritime piracy in 1994. Westberg, on the other hand, contends that around 2005, a

new attack paradigm evolved, shifting from sporadic and opportunistic activities to those

organized and carried out by professionals.4 Even though piracy is a global problem, there are

particular areas of the world in which incidences have been reported a great deal more frequently

than in other parts of the world. IMB yearly reports demonstrate that a significant number of

incidents have been documented throughout the past two decades, particularly in Asia and

Africa. Affected regions are frequently found close to sea gates or tight passes that see a large

volume of maritime traffic, such as essential shipping lanes or unavoidable straits. The Strait of

Malacca, the South China Sea, and the Gulf of Aden are some of the regions that have been most

severely impacted. The maritime domain has been described as "a backbone of European

livelihoods and wealth through fishing and global trade" for many decades, if not millennia.5

These days, one of the most critical trade corridors for the European Union is the Gulf of Aden,

which connects Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.6 As a result, it has a

3 Lehr, Peter. "Somali piracy: the next iteration."Perspectives on Terrorism 3, no. 4

(2009): 26-36.

4 Westberg, Andreas Bruvik. "Bloodshed and breaking wave: The first outbreak of

Somali piracy."Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of military studies 43, no. 2 (2015): 1-

38.

5 Landman, Lennart. "The EU Maritime Security Strategy: Promoting or Absorbing

European Defence Cooperation?." (2015).

6 Ehrhart, Hans-Georg, and Kerstin Petretto. "Stabilizing Somalia: can the EU's

comprehensive approach work?." European security 23, no. 2 (2014): 179-194.

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significant bearing on the state of the economy in Europe, making it a primary focus of attention

for businesses, governments, and other administrative bodies.

III. Literature review

According to Lekunze (2022), maritime policy in Africa was discussed. The results

indicated that Africa's existing threat approach (complete absence of a comprehensive and

integrated joined-up strategy) to maritime strategy, the lack of maritime power, and poor

recognition of the prospective adverse repercussions of an evolving international system prove

that strategic approach in Africa is entirely unsuitable for its role.7 The implication is that Africa

is subjected to disproportionate increased rates of marine insecurity, the loss of marine resources,

and a significant risk of external dominance. In a word, the weaknesses in maritime strategic

strategy and execution subject Africa to a wide variety of threats, including everything from food

insecurity to foreign dominance.

To forestall the deterioration of maritime security as a component of African security and

to bring about significant and far-reaching reforms in Africa's strategic behavior, the continent

needs to undergo profound shifts in its way of thinking about maritime security. More studies

must be completed for the African maritime strategy to determine the best feasible possibilities

for integrating techniques to achieve objectives in maritime security, which is an essential

component of the continent's overall security. Failure to take action maintains Africa's

vulnerabilities.

7 Lekunze, Manu. "Maritime strategy in Africa: strategic flaws exposing Africa to

vulnerabilities from food insecurity to external domination." Third World Quarterly (2022): 1-

17.

Brenden Bliss
this is ok, but since it is the literature review, it might be better to put the title or at least part of the title here as well. "According to Lekunze in his article Maritime strategy in Africa, ...
Brenden Bliss
this is good information and approach, but this is all focused on AFrica. How does this help prove the thesis which is that the rest of the international system should care about these issues within Africa? That is the thesis so don't mix up how or why AFrica should deal with maritime security and why the rest of the world should care or be involved in the process which is your current thesis. Pick one or the other and just focus on that.
Brenden Bliss
rephrase grammar - don't so both "according to" and "was discussed". this says that lekunze said policy was discussed. (where was it discussed or who discussed it?)

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According to Vrey (2010), African security issues typically reflect a dominant landward

greater emphasis.8 Regime security, militaries monopolized by military units, and irregular

groups fighting incumbent systems of government shape the majority of the African security

environment. Consequently, African maritime matters frequently come second to an obsessive

focus on national security issues on land. Since 2006, the events occurring off the coast of Africa

have become more dangerous and harmful to the maritime sector. Piracy has become common in

the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa; it has been intertwined with the agendas of both

rebels and criminals. Even though piracy is generally seen as the most prominent maritime

hazard in Africa, it is just one aspect of a far more comprehensive maritime threat environment.

By 2010, worldwide worries over security in African waters corresponded with more specific

African attitudes to dealing with challenges to good order on the sea. This occurred on both the

international and continental levels. In the meantime, international concern led to several

resolutions at the United Nations, which kicked off a global response to securitize piracy and

send naval contingents along the coast of the Horn of Africa. It would appear that Africa's oceans

are attracting an ever-increasing variety of actors, contributing to safety and instability in the

African offshore realm. Maintaining peace and security at sea has become necessary for

decision-makers in Africa.

According to Dua (2019), in the past few years, coastal Africa, more notably the

waterways of the Gulf of Guinea and the Somali coastline, has seen an increase in the number of

instances of maritime piracy on a scale that has never been seen before.9 Because of these

8 Vreÿ, Francois. "African maritime security: a time for good order at sea."Australian

Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs 2, no. 4 (2010): 121-132.

9 Dua, Jatin. "Piracy and Maritime Security in Africa." In Oxford Research Encyclopedia

of Politics. 2019.

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have
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should have a page number.
Brenden Bliss
good, but does this answer the thesis question? There is also plenty of specific information in the paragraph which you should have a citation for. Even if its the same source you should still cite it again, or put the citation at the end of the paragraph if you are saying that the whole paragraph is a paraphrase of a few pages from Vrey's article.
Brenden Bliss
in the footnote you only need the specific pages where this reference is coming from so is the idea in this sentence from all of pages 121-132 or was it on a specific page within that? if so only quote that page.
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regions' geopolitical and economic significance, several military and legal actions have been

taken to tackle this issue at the national, regional, and international levels. Maritime piracy has a

more complicated relationship with land- and sea-based governance, despite the common

perception that it is a symptom of failed nations or criminal activity on the high seas. Maritime

piracy is better defined as a practice of extraction and claims-making on mobility that originates

from broader historical circumstances and is tied to land-based economy and politics. This

practice predominately takes place in politically fractured but generally stable locations. The

importance of maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa within these larger

geographical and historical contexts draws attention to the intertwined roles that the geopolitical

and the economic have had in determining the practice's beginnings and subsequent

modifications.10 This is not to ignore the violence that forms the core of maritime piracy; instead,

it is to position pirates within the context of broader governance and mobility processes on the

African continent and beyond. In addition to affecting local populations, mariners, and

international shipping, piracy is essential to understanding the problems presented to global

governance when viewed from the perspective of the world's waters.

IV. Discussion

Based on the literature review and case studies provided above, the international

maritime security of Africa is of essence to the global community or the international system due

to its strategic location and the relative incapacities or lack of proper capabilities to tackle the

many challenges that may arise within the African maritime space. Because of their

advantageous positioning, African shorelines have become significant thoroughfares for

international commerce. The safety of these transportation corridors, in particular the Gulf of

Aden, is of the utmost importance not just to the countries of Africa but also to all of the nations

10

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details needed
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do you have citation for this definition?

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worldwide.11 If any of these trading routes were to become inaccessible, it would harm global

supply chains and the economy as a whole. Because of this, the security of the African maritime

environment is of the utmost significance. The absence of maritime security in the Horn of

Africa has become a significant issue. The primary reason for this is the collapse of the central

federal authority in Somalia. This represents one of the rare instances in Africa in which land-

based security concerns have significantly impacted marine security due to spillover from the

land. The absence of maritime security has evolved into an issue of concern on a global scale as

a direct result of the placement of Somalia on the map and the expensive goods transported over

the waters surrounding the Horn of Africa. The absence of adequate marine security throughout

the region has a detrimental effect on the already precarious situation on land and all elements of

life connected to water utilization. Because it was impossible to strictly enforce the law as well

as maintain order at sea, this created several problems, including a threat to maritime

communications, an increase in instances of piracy, serious harm to the marine ecosystem, a

breach in maritime sovereignty, and a significant increase in the costs incurred in terms of both

economic and humanitarian aid.

The attacks on ships at sea committed by pirates that take place off the coast of the Horn

of Africa are seriously impeding international trade. The route that connects the Far East and

Europe represents one of the busiest transcontinental maritime routes worldwide since it is used

for approximately 20% of all of the world's commercial activities, and more than 80% of all

commercial activity passes through the Gulf of Aden12. More specifically, almost 20,000 ships

transporting most of the world's affordable apparel, crude oil, and non-perishables sail via this

11 Hamza, Farah Robleh, and Jean-Philippe Priotti. "Maritime trade and piracy in the Gulf

of Aden and the Indian Ocean (1994–2017)." Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020):

141-158.

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route yearly. However, there is a significant obstacle in the form of the Puntland region, located

in northeastern Somalia.13 Many Somali pirates are based in the Gulf of Aden, next to the volatile

region governed by warlords and tribes that rule themselves.14 Their primary objectives are to

board ships, seize the items being transported on board, and then keep the ships hostage until the

businesses pay a ransom demanded to regain control of both their vessels and their crews. As a

result, this path accurately represents maritime piracy's tremendous impacts on global shipping

and development. A wide range of financial fallout results from acts of maritime piracy. Because

Somalia does not have a centralized government, pirates can utilize the waters surrounding their

country, risking cargo routinely moving between Asia and Europe. One of the most significant

implications is that large shipping corporations have been compelled to change their shipping

courses from the Far East to Europe in response to the attacks. For instance, to reduce the

possibility of being attacked by pirates, several businesses are rerouting their shipping routes

away from the Gulf of Aden and toward the Suez Canal or the Cape of Good Hope.15 These sorts

of modifications result in considerable increases in additional costs. Attacks have resulted in

increased prices for energy and increased premiums for insurance, both of which inevitably place

12 Knight, W. Andy, and Afyare A. Elmi. "Combatting Piracy in the Horn of Africa

Waters." In The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary International Political Economy, pp. 485-

500. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2019.

13 Beloff, Jonathan R. "How piracy is affecting economic development in Puntland,

Somalia. "Journal of Strategic Security 6, no. 1 (2013): 47-54.

14 Hamza, Farah Robleh, and Jean-Philippe Priotti. "Maritime trade and piracy in the Gulf

of Aden and the Indian Ocean (1994–2017)." Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020):

141-158.

15 Ibid

Brenden Bliss
you should have more direct quotes instead of mainly only using paraphrase. so blend both of them more in the whole paper.

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an increased charge on customers in the form of price increases for the commodities they

purchase.

After 2009, major economic powers started stationing naval forces all along the coast of

the Gulf of Aden to safeguard goods that were being moved along the route that runs from the

Far East to Europe.16 The lack of engagement by governments is a significant contributor to the

rise in the number of instances of piracy, as shown by the data. The number of piracy cases

increased by a factor of seven between 2007 and 2008, a trend that unquestionably would have

been less severe with increased administrative engagement. If the nations had not intervened, the

total traffic volumes would have already decreased by 30.25 %, lending credence to the

hypothesis that maritime piracy in Somalia is indeed affecting the regular practice of global

shipping companies. Even if the costs that are affected are different, the broader economic

negative externality is significantly higher. This is because it considers the losses caused by a fall

in traffic volumes and the productivity losses caused by utilizing an alternate route.

Both international shipping and locals living along the coast have been terrorized for a

considerable time by the threat of maritime piracy. Nevertheless, a blockage of the Suez Canal

by the Ever Given, in instances of pandemic-induced port closures of ports, and power struggles

between rival administrations in South East Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, doesn't occur as the

most significant threat to global transportation networks.17 However, contemporary piracy

continues to pose a significant risk to the shipping industry on a global scale. Upwards of a

hundred individuals were taken hostage, and some were injured as a direct consequence of the

16 Ibid

17 Cosar, Kerem, and Benjamin Thomas. "The geopolitics of international trade in

Southeast Asia." Review of World Economics 157, no. 1 (2021): 207-219.

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229 incidents in 2020. At the level of company transactions, piracy causes a decrease in the

number of operations carried out by vessels.

In contrast, at the same time, it increases the average size of each shipment. Both findings

are consistent with the theoretical concerns that Kropf & Sauré have presented.18 A rise in the

fixed expenses per shipment – including investing in security against piracy – results in a

reduction in the number of shipments while simultaneously increasing the volume of the typical

cargo. Following their conceptual framework, the number of goods shipped by Chinese

companies grew in proportion to the number of attacks by pirates. Results show that the size of

ocean-going shipments increased by 0.13% for every additional piracy instance. This results in a

3.4% rise in the amount of cargo that is sent to Europe. Additionally, the possibility of a

company delivering a commodity by sea along vulnerable routes is reduced by 0.02% for every

consecutive attack that is carried out. Because of this, several businesses have moved their

shipping operations to the air.

It has been demonstrated that the effects of piracy and armed robbery on export behavior

are long-lasting. This is especially true for smaller businesses, which may be impacted more

severely by rising insurance costs. In addition, the average level of impact is more significant for

items with lower unit values than for items with higher unit values.

A. The impact on ship behavior

The coefficient estimates that result from regressing the frequency of ship locations in a

specific region on the frequency of piracy occurrences suggest that cargo ships steer clear of

places that pirates have recently targeted. Given an estimated parameter of -0.005 in the most

rigorous fixed effects analysis, the findings show that 26 hijackings decreased the number of

18 Kropf, Andreas, and Philip Sauré. "Fixed costs per shipment." Journal of International

Economics 92, no. 1 (2014): 166-184.

Brenden Bliss
this is a bit complex, can you dumb it down for the reader? What is a coefficient estimate from regressing? If you aren't sure about something then it is never bad to use less complicated or 'academic' words. It isn't bad to just say something like "Kropf, et. al. have presented compelling data to suggest that ships avoid locations recently targeted by pirates."

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vessel locations by 12%. This supports the theory that ships use alternative routes after an

increase in the amount of pirate activity. There will also likely be a general reduction in the

number of boats departing ports to sail to a particular location. In addition, some circumstantial

evidence suggests that ships increase their cruise speed after sailing through affected areas. Both

adjustment techniques raise transport costs by lengthening trip times and raising the amount of

fuel consumed, which partially explains the general decline in trade volumes.

Regarding financial considerations, maritime security is of the utmost importance.

According to the evidence, piracy constitutes one of the most significant challenges to the

maritime security of Africa. Global trade suffers billions of dollars yearly losses yearly due to

incidents in the turbulent Gulf of Guinea region, including kidnappings, escorting of ships, and

numerous other incidents.19 These enormous expenses are not acceptable in the long run, and the

rest of the world will, at some point, require a powerful solution to the problem of pirates and

lawlessness in the Gulf of Guinea. It is necessary to have a secure and stable marine environment

to protect the interests of the United States and European nations within the African continent.

Both parties will be able to exert a significant influence on many policies on the African

continent without accruing hefty fees or being obliged to constantly look over their shoulders

concerning the instability within the maritime borders of Africa. The fight against armed robbery

and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has resulted in significant expenses being expended by the

global system. In particular, the maritime industry has been responsible for bearing a substantial

percentage of these costs to avoid and deter mishaps involving ships in the region. The number

of active commercial vessels in the region is an essential piece of data that must be collected to

assess the direct cost incurred by critical stakeholders to avoid and deter armed robbery at sea

19 Nwalozie, Chijioke J. "Exploring contemporary sea piracy in Nigeria, the niger delta

and the Gulf of Guinea." Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020): 159-178.

Brenden Bliss
good - so now more directly tie this action to why the international community shoudl care. it is the response of private business/shipping so this increase in costs hits the consumers. Is that why the international governments should care or is it just something that private business deals with as a cost of business just like the cost of manufacturing or cost of employees? Why should governments be involved?
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this is very specific data so you should have a citation after this sentence even if you already had one earlier for the same source. this may be from a different page of the article so still should have its own citation.

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while crossing the Gulf of Guinea.20 The region presents a problem since vessels operating

frequently make many calls at various ports around the Gulf. It is estimated that 11,660 vessels

are operating in the region yearly.21

Additionally, there are no estimates for the costs for which it was unable to find any

information. These expenses include "rerouting," a kind of anti-ship piracy defense frequently

used off of the East African coastline during the peak of Somalia-based piracy. To avoid being

attacked by pirates throughout this time, ships would avoid dangerous waters. Even though there

is some indication that certain ships may bypass specific harbors in the Gulf of Guinea in favor

of a path that would be significantly safer (such as the Togolese or Benin seas), ships are unable

to avoid a lot of these sites due to the region's geographic location.22 In addition, several

unconnected elements, such as corruption at ports, may significantly impact the area's shipping

activity features. Due to this, it is impossible to arrive at a precise assessment, and most studies

need to look into this situation. Similar to the preceding point, the report does not calculate the

cost of the ransoms paid in the Gulf of Guinea. It is well known in this region of the world that it

is impossible to determine whether ransoms were paid, how much was spent, or which individual

or group was responsible. This may be the case for several reasons, including that the Nigerian

government officially forbids paying ransoms. This may also discourage certain interested

parties from disclosing details after the crew on board has been released. Alternatively, given

that some crew members were freed in exchange for a ransom, this is likely the case. Insurers

20 Onuoha, Freedom C. "Piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea: Trends,

concerns, and propositions." The Journal of the Middle East and Africa 4, no. 3 (2013): 267-293.

21 Nwalozie, Chijioke J. "Exploring contemporary sea piracy in Nigeria, the niger delta

and the Gulf of Guinea." Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020): 159-178.

22 Ibid

15

and shipping firms, for example, could be reluctant to participate in a very public discussion

about ransoms for fear of inflating the price and attempting to prolong the release of hostages.

The most precise estimate of ransom payments is provided in a study from the United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released in 2021. The analysis calculates that, given the

frequency of kidnappings for ransom and the increasing trend in the amount of ransom paid per

event, Niger Delta-based piracy organizations were most likely to have garnered close to USD 4

million in 2020. These projections are predicated on an increase in the average ransom amount

paid per occurrence.

In the Gulf of Guinea, it is projected that piracy and armed robberies will cost between

USD 529 million and 880 million in 2019.23 The expenses of insurance, additional labor and,

hazardous pay, sand security escort vessels are all included in this estimate because they are

related to piracy and armed robberies at sea in the area of interest. However, there were several

restrictions on the amount of available data. These restrictions resulted from a mix of classified

and uncontrolled local vessel activity, which follow distinct transit trends than international

maritime traffic, and a lack of publicly accessible information by government or naval forces.

When contrasting the number of crew on smaller fishing vessels to those employed on big ships

involved in commercial shipping, there is also a sizable difference. The variation in crew size is

one element that affects the overall labor costs and risk pay. These massive expenditures burden

states and developed economies in Europe and North America to suffer annual losses of millions

of euros as a direct outcome of this threat. This demonstrates in clearly just how expensive

maritime insecurity can become.

Terror-related activities are also a significant threat caused by the lack of maritime

security. Terrorism is a global phenomenon and affects all groups of people. Terrorists tend to

23 Ibid

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? do you mean and?

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prey on western targets or areas frequented by foreigners, particularly westerners, as it would

give terror organizations "real credentials." Maritime insecurity can play a significant role in the

lifeline of a terror organization. As long as a group receives funding from a particular source, it

means that the group can sustain terror activities that not only weaken regional security but

threaten world security. Despite the distance between America and Somalia, America still feels

the effects of al-Shabaab terrorism through the death of its citizens, particularly in Kenya. The

Westgate mall attack in 2013 and the Dusit D-2 attack also claimed American lives. The

maritime security of east Africa is, therefore, a significant concern for America and the entire

international community. If the international community cooperates and stems this insecurity, the

Horn of Africa region will be secure.24 In return means that American and British interests,

whether economic or military, are safeguarded.

Smuggling contraband over international waters, including illegal drugs, weapons, and

people, is one of the primary sources of revenue for terrorist organizations. Many violent

extremists exploit resources like cereals, sugar, and textiles. Since 2011, Al-Shabaab has been

active in the illegal trafficking of charcoal. The organization can safeguard its long-term

continuity and continue funding its land-based terrorist assaults thanks to the approximately $7

million in annual profits it receives from maritime crime. An additional source of revenue for Al-

Shabaab has been the extortion and illegal taxation of companies affiliated with the Port of

Mogadishu and other independent companies. For instance, al-Shabaab will get shipping

manifests so that it can tax companies, under the threat of physical force, Approximately USD

100 for each 20-foot container and USD 160 for 40-foot containers. IS-Somalia is another

24 Knight, W. Andy, and Afyare A. Elmi. "Combatting Piracy in the Horn of Africa

Waters." In The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary International Political Economy, pp. 485-

500. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2019.

Brenden Bliss
can you use a different word? You use the word "secure","security" and "insecurity" a lot and these are all essentially the same root. Are there other synonyms you can use to diversify the language in sentences so close together.

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organization active in the coastal regions of Somalia and Tanzania. IS-Somalia has regularly

taken advantage of a lack of maritime attention for its activities, although it is not as active as al-

Shabaab. Within a year of its establishment, the Islamic State of Somalia (IS-Somalia) has

overrun and taken control of the northern port city of Qandala. The substantial funding of

terrorist activities through the exploitation of lax maritime security and regulations along the

shorelines of the Horn of Africa implies that a significant risk is posed not only to western-

backed military bases in the region, such as those in Kenya and Djibouti, but also to critical

infrastructure and the risk of human lives.25 Terrorists can provide financial support to pirates for

them to sabotage a commercial vessel, which poses not only a global threat but also the potential

to disrupt international commerce. Therefore, concerns regarding the maritime needs of Africa

and their security must continue to be addressed on a global scale to ensure the safety, security,

and equilibrium of the worldwide community over the long term, particularly issues concerning

food, trade, security, and to permit the flourishing of business.

V. Conclusion and Recommendations

Through present norms, initiatives, and connections, international allies can maintain and

grow their efforts to offer venues for African maritime enforcement agencies. They can also help

the AU's information-fusing and sharing activities. African boarding parties might be included in

current counterpiracy collaborations, providing African involvement and ownership while

enhancing African capabilities. Legal issues about the management of caught pirates are perhaps

the most challenging obstacles, but these should be manageable barriers after over two years of

operation. Equally crucial is that international partners collaborate with the African Union and

25 Knight, W. Andy, and Afyare A. Elmi. "Combatting Piracy in the Horn of Africa

Waters." In The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary International Political Economy, pp. 485-

500. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2019.

Brenden Bliss
You don't really have a conclusion in the next paragraph. it is all recommendations on how to address the specific issue of security. That isn't bad, but the conclusion should restate the thesis question, highlight the key arguments and then restate the conclusion- so why should the international community care about african maritime security? After you do that you could add some of your recommendations but those aren't really needed for the paper since that wasn't your thesis. they are good ideas which would fit better if your thesis was asking how Africa improve its security. make sure what you write actually is focused on the thesis as written...or tweak your thesis to fit your argument better.

18

the International Maritime Entity to combine these multiple task forces into a unified agency to

boost effectiveness and ease control and command. Such a force must broaden its scope to

include the enforcement of global and African maritime regulations, particularly those about

illegal dumping and fishing, under the direction of the UN, the AU, and African governments.

The African Union and sub-regional agencies could benefit from international partners' financial

and technical assistance. In addition to enhancing African maritime domain awareness, this

would also give maritime law enforcement activities valuable intelligence and increase seafarer

safety. By taking these two actions, the International maritime organization, the AU, and its

members would also be capable of beginning work on the International Charter for the African

Maritime Sector and focus on developing and enhancing maritime trade, governance, and

economies in Africa—leaving the much more expensive tasks of developing coast guards and

navies for the medium term.

VI. References

Beloff, Jonathan R. "How piracy is affecting economic development in Puntland, Somalia."

Journal of Strategic Security 6, no. 1 (2013): 47-54.

Cosar, Kerem, and Benjamin Thomas. "The geopolitics of international trade in Southeast Asia."

Review of World Economic 157, no. 1 (2021): 207-219.

Dua, Jatin. "Piracy and Maritime Security in Africa." In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of

Politics. 2019.

Ehrhart, Hans-Georg, and Kerstin Petretto. "Stabilizing Somalia: can the EU's comprehensive

approach work?." European security 23, no. 2 (2014): 179-194.

Brenden Bliss
single space each specific entry. only double space between different sources (so space between Beloff and Cosar entries but the second life of each should be single spaced.

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Hamza, Farah Robleh, and Jean-Philippe Priotti. "Maritime trade and piracy in the Gulf of Aden

and the Indian Ocean (1994–2017)."Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020):

141-158.

Knight, W. Andy, and Afyare A. Elmi. "Combatting Piracy in the Horn of Africa Waters." In

The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary International Political Economy, pp. 485-500.

Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2019.

Kropf, Andreas, and Philip Sauré. "Fixed costs per shipment. “Journal of International

Economics 92, no. 1 (2014): 166-184.

Landman, Lennart. "The EU Maritime Security Strategy: Promoting or Absorbing European

Defence Cooperation?." (2015).

Lehr, Peter. "Somali piracy: the next iteration. “Perspectives on Terrorism 3, no. 4 (2009): 26-

36.

Lekunze, Manu. "Maritime strategy in Africa: strategic flaws exposing Africa to vulnerabilities

from food insecurity to external domination."Third World Quarterly (2022): 1-17.

Muragu, Mercyann Mukami, Israel Nyaburi Nyadera, and Cathrine Wanjiru Mbugua. "Gearing

up for the new normal: Kenya’s tourism sector before and after the COVID-19

pandemic." Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure, and Events (2021): 1-18.

Vreÿ, Francois. "African maritime security: a time for good order at sea." Australian Journal of

Maritime & Ocean Affairs 2, no. 4 (2010): 121-132.

Nwalozie, Chijioke J. "Exploring contemporary sea piracy in Nigeria, the niger delta and the

Gulf of Guinea. “Journal of transportation security 13, no. 3 (2020): 159-178.

Onuoha, Freedom C. "Piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea: Trends, concerns, and

propositions. “The Journal of the Middle East and Africa 4, no. 3 (2013): 267-293.

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Westberg, Andreas Bruvik. "Bloodshed and breaking wave: The first outbreak of Somali piracy."

Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of military studies 43, no. 2 (2015): 1-38.

  • I. Introduction
  • II. Case Study
    • A. Africa's Growing Maritime Security Challenge
      • 1. Case study 1
      • 2. Case study 2:
  • III. Literature review
  • IV. Discussion
    • A. The impact on ship behavior
  • V. Conclusion and Recommendations
  • VI. References