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Globalization, State Failure and Maritime Insecurity in West Africa

This article explores the impact of globalization on the capacity of states in West Africa to exacerbate and manage escalating insecurity in the maritime domain of West Africa, with particular focus on the Gulf of Guinea. It articulates the elements of maritime security in a globalized world and lays out the nature of "maritime domain awareness" in the region, and explores the elements of contemporary maritime insecurity in the region, including maritime piracy and militia insurgency, human smuggling/trafficking, small arms and light weapons trafficking and contraband smuggling, plundering and depletion of marine resources, marine pollution and environmental degradation, and the threat of terrorist activities. The paper ends with a discussion of the lessons for West Africa, the United States and the world community.