III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 288 

Supporting enhanced maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and encouraging 

increased cooperation between the United States and West and Central 

African countries to fight armed robbery at sea, piracy, and other maritime threats. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 6, 2013 

Mr. FLAKE (for himself and Mr. COONS) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

DECEMBER 18, 2013 

Reported by Mr. MENENDEZ, without amendment 

JANUARY 7, 2014 

Considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting enhanced maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea 

and encouraging increased cooperation between the 

United States and West and Central African countries 

to fight armed robbery at sea, piracy, and other maritime 

threats. 

Whereas, although the number of armed robbery at sea and 

piracy attacks worldwide dropped substantially in recent 

years, such acts in the Gulf of Guinea are increasing, 

with more than 40 reported through October 2013 and 

many more going unreported; 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

SRES 288 ATS 

Whereas the United States imported more than 315,000,000 

barrels of oil through the region in 2012, and United 

States businesses have extensive fixed assets in the region 

that are important to United States energy security; 

Whereas the nature of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea demonstrates an ongoing pattern of cargo thefts and robbery, 

often occurring in the territorial waters of West and Central African states; 

Whereas there are countries in West and Central Africa that 

are susceptible to acts of armed robbery at sea and piracy that lack adequate law enforcement and naval capabilities to stop or deter such attacks; 

Whereas acts of maritime crime raise the costs and risks of 

trade and commerce in Africa and beyond because the security of vessels, crews, and cargoes cannot be guaranteed; 

Whereas shipping insurance premiums increase after such attacks, and in so doing, create disincentives for local, regional, and international investors and companies seeking 

to do business in the region; 

Whereas imports provide indispensable goods and services for 

the people of West and Central Africa, generate port fees 

and customs duties for their governments, and are essential in spurring economic growth and development in the 

region; 

Whereas the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa 

issued by President Barack Obama in June 2012 states, 

‘‘It is in the interest of the United States to improve the 

region’s trade competitiveness, encourage the diversification of exports beyond natural resources, and ensure that 

the benefits from growth are broad-based.’’; 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

SRES 288 ATS 

Whereas a vibrant trade relationship between Africa and its 

partners, including the United States, can lead to expanded economic opportunities that can spur competition, 

raise productivity, and facilitate job creation in the 

economies of all participating countries; 

Whereas the African Union, in collaboration with numerous 

official and nongovernmental stakeholders, developed the 

‘‘2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Security’’ strategy 

(the 2050 AIM STRATEGY) which seeks ‘‘to address 

contending, emerging and future maritime challenges and 

opportunities in Africa . . . with a clear focus on enhanced wealth creation from a sustainable governance of 

Africa’s oceans and seas’’; 

Whereas the African Union’s 2050 AIM STRATEGY seeks 

to combat ‘‘diverse illegal activities which include . . . 

arms and drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, piracy, and armed robbery at sea’’, among other 

objectives; 

Whereas the June 24–25, 2013, meeting of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Heads of State Summit held in 

Cameroon marked the culmination of a United States 

Government-supported Economic Communities of Central 

African States (ECCAS) and Economic Community of 

West African States (ECOWAS)-led initiative and process that produced an approved ECOWAS–ECCAS Memorandum of Understanding for regional cooperation, and 

adopted a Gulf of Guinea Code of Conduct to address 

maritime crime and a Heads of State Political Declaration; 

Whereas ECOWAS and ECCAS states are working to cooperate and build their joint capacities in order to increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and are 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

SRES 288 ATS 

working to achieve this goal with such partners as the 

United Nations Offices for West and Central Africa, the 

Gulf of Guinea Commission, the International Maritime 

Organization, the Maritime Organization for West and 

Central Africa, and the African Union; 

Whereas the United States Government in the Gulf of Guinea 

has focused on encouraging multi-layered regional and 

national ownership in developing sustainable capacity 

building efforts, including working with partners through 

the G8++ Friends of Gulf of Guinea Group, to coordinate United States Government maritime security activities in the region; 

Whereas the United States Government has assisted the 

countries of West and Central Africa to enhance regional 

maritime security through programs such as the ‘‘African 

Partnership Station’’, operated by United States Naval 

Forces Africa ‘‘to build maritime safety and security by 

increasing maritime awareness, response capabilities and 

infrastructure’’, and the ‘‘African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership’’, which ‘‘enables African partner nations to build maritime security capacity and improve 

management of their maritime environment through real 

world law enforcement operations, and through provision 

of diverse types of training and equipment assistance and 

participation in diverse regional maritime military exercises’’, as well as by employing analytical tools such as 

the Maritime Security Sector Reform Guide; and 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2039, 

‘‘expressing its deep concern about the threat that piracy 

and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea pose to 

international navigation, security and the economic develVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:59 Jan 08, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR288.ATS SR288

jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

SRES 288 ATS 

opment of states in the region’’, was unanimously adopted on February 29, 2012: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns acts of armed robbery at sea, pi3 racy, and other maritime crime in the Gulf of Guin4 ea; 

5 (2) endorses and supports the efforts made by 

6 United States Government agencies to assist af7 fected West and Central African countries to build 

8 capacity to combat armed robbery at sea, piracy, 

9 and other maritime threats, and encourages the 

10 President to continue such assistance, as appro11 priate, within resource constraints; and 

12 (3) commends the African Union, subregional 

13 entities such as the ECOWAS and ECCAS, and the 

14 various international agencies that have worked to 

15 develop policy and program frameworks for enhanc16 ing maritime security in West and Central Africa, 

17 and encourages these entities and their member 

18 states to continue to build upon these and other ef19 forts to achieve that end. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS