4.1. The U.S. security actions in the Gulf of Guinea ............................ 23
4.1.1. Individual actions. ........................... 23
4.1.2. multilateral actions. ............................... 25
CHAPTER 4: THE U.S INITIATIVES IN SECURING THE GULF OF GUINEA MARITIME SPACE
4.1. The U.S. security actions in the Gulf of Guinea
The multiple security actions undertaken by the U.S. will be analysed in this section. Such actions are carried out both individually in the GoG, and within a multilateral framework.
4.1.1. Individual actions.
The U.S. security initiatives taken to secure the Gulf of Guinea maritime environment will be discussed more or less in details.
U.S maritime security initiatives in the GoG
The United States energy security aims at promoting a diversified and stable supply of oil, at affordable prices. That is the reason why the U.S. have broadened its partnership with many Gulf of Guinea countries to secure what is seen as their shared interests. In fact, the United States keep on intensifying its security initiatives and geo-strategic presence in Africa in general, and in the Gulf of Guinea in particular. There are several initiatives that have been put in place by the superpower. Such initiatives include African Partnership Station Initiatives (APSI), which has been developed by the U.S. Navies in Africa to ameliorate security on the African continent as a component of Africa Command. It is a strategic partnership that aims at strengthening the capacities of African military personnels, coast guards and mariners, in order to improve on their professionalism. The programme include the Gulf of Guinea countries. It consists of professional training, practical courses, as well as port visits. The goal is help enforce the enforcement of the rule of law within the Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Gulf of Guinea, in order to improve on the fight against piracy, oil theft and illegal fishing, human smuggling, and drug trafficking. The 1st APSI was deployed from November 2007 to April 2008. The GoG countries involved were Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal, Sao-Tomé and Principe, Togo, Liberia 1 . Along the same lines another initiative includes Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOATA), or Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (CESA). In the framework of these initiatives the United States makes consistent port calls to GoG nations, and offers regular logistical and technical assistance to their defence forces, and particularly to their navies.
..............................
CONCLUSION
This research has focused on showing that the United States many initiatives in maritime security dynamics in the Gulf of Guinea to secure its strategic interests in the region. However the analysis of their policies and strategies has shown some weaknesses. In the perspective of correcting such limits, two main recommendations that could be helpful to policy-makers or decision-makers of the U.S. Such recommendations include the setting of a strategic platform, the adoption of a comprehensive approach.
A need for a strategic platform between the U.S. and all other actors in the Gulf of Guinea.
To enhance safety and security in the GoG ma
