Disruptions are making Southern Africa more important to global shipping and energy markets without making the region more prosperous. Countermeasures to offset reduced energy exports shipped from Persian Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz are now failing, with significant global impacts, including for Africa. Saudi Arabia has prioritised its East-West pipeline to bypass the…
From piracy and migrant smuggling to disruptions affecting global shipping routes, countries bordering one of the world’s busiest waterways are seeking closer cooperation to stay ahead of fast-evolving maritime threats. As maritime tensions ripple across parts of the Middle East, security officials from Ethiopia, Yemen, Djibouti and Somalia gathered in Nairobi this week to tackle…
The security situation in the Strait of Hormuz has returned to a “worse-case scenario” for oil tankers as Iran has repeatedly attacked ships over the past week, the CEO of a maritime risk services firm said. “We see the reduction of the volume of transits through the Strait of Hormuz and right now crews of…
The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) appealed on Monday for the urgent release of 44 seafarers held captive in Somali waters by pirates and armed robbers. The regulator which works to ensure safety at sea has recorded 24 attempted and actual incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Red Sea and the…
A smartphone screen displays the MarineTraffic map showing a concentration of ship beacons in the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, with a map of the strait visible in the background, in Créteil, France, on March 30, 2026. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images A cargo vessel in the Red…
The Combined Maritime Task Force takes aim at piracy and other crimes affecting 26 diverse countries from Senegal to Angola. A new rapid response force for the Gulf of Guinea has set its sights on preventing piracy and other maritime threats and protecting the region’s blue economy. Launched on 1 June, the Combined Maritime Task…
China’s growing integration in Africa’s maritime infrastructure presents opportunities and risks, requiring strategic management by African governments to preserve autonomy, diversify partnerships, and advance the public interest. Africa occupies a critical geostrategic position along global maritime corridors connecting Asia, Europe, and the Americas. For China, access to these routes is both an economic and strategic…
EDITORIAL | Bandari Maritime Academy must protect expertise through careful succession planning Bandari Maritime Academy. PHOTO/FILE. The recent leadership changes at Bandari Maritime Academy, culminating in the departure of Mr Titus Musyoka Kilonzi as Deputy Director of Maritime Education and Training (MET), have understandably generated concern within Kenya’s maritime fraternity and among regional stakeholders. While…
Introduction The African Union Commission (AUC), through the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), invites submissions for the third edition of the AU Journal on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD). As a flagship platform for policy-relevant research and dialogue, the Journal contributes to advancing knowledge and strengthening peacebuilding practice across the continent. Building…
The Sea Empowerment and Research Center, SEREC, has warned that African maritime nations face heightened economic and security challenge due to the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The Centre highlights the far-reaching implications for import-dependent economies across the African Union economies considered to be particularly vulnerable. In the communiqué signed by Head…
