ADF

Algeria and Spain announced a renewed commitment to combat shared threats. The collaboration between the two countries separated by the Mediterranean Sea will focus on  battling terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling while enhancing cybersecurity, civil protection, road safety and disaster management. This was announced after an October 20 meeting between Algerian Minister of Interior Said Sayoud and Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska in Algiers. Sayoud said the “fruitful” cooperation between the two countries had reached “a high level in many areas.” “Today’s meeting is a renewed opportunity to exchange opinions and viewpoints on these serious threats, which require us…

Africa loses an estimated $11.2 billion in annual revenue to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The challenge is particularly acute in West Africa, which loses up to $9.4 billion to the scourge. Illegal fishing by foreign industrial and semi-industrial trawlers, particularly from China, has driven food insecurity and threatened the jobs of more than 10 million men and women who work in Africa’s artisanal fisheries.  Security professionals recognize the threat. Col. Roland T. Bai Murphy, commander of the 23rd Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Liberia, has seen firsthand the effects of IUU fishing on his country’s artisanal…

Rampersad Sooroojebally is a veteran of the Mauritius Police Force, having enlisted in 1971. Before being appointed commissioner on November 15, 2024, he played a key role in restructuring the force’s Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit. He also designed and led the country’s Counter Terrorism Unit, which collects and analyzes intelligence before disseminating it to law enforcement. His remarks have been edited for space and clarity. ADF: Despite its small size, Mauritius patrols an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) spanning 2.3 million square kilometers, which is roughly the same size as Africa’s largest country, Algeria. Can you describe your country’s general strategy…

When it comes to unmanned military vehicles, most people tend to think of the sky, where attack and surveillance drones are a fixture in armed conflict. But experts say the next wave of unmanned craft will set sail on the water.  Navies are investing in uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). If trends continue, more than 40 countries will operate USVs by 2034, and the global USV market will grow from $1.1 billion to $2.5 billion, according to the research company GlobalData.  These sea drones can be controlled by operators on shore or sail semiautonomously, following a…

Many countries suffer from an affliction colloquially known as “sea blindness.” The phrase describes a general lack of concern about maritime security, but also the inability to monitor what is happening on the water.  Just how much activity is going on in these blind spots? In a report published in the journal Nature, researchers found that about 76% of industrial fishing vessels were “dark” at some point, meaning they were not broadcasting their location or were not tracked by public monitoring systems. The same report found that nearly 30% of energy and transportation vessel movement was not tracked.   The…

Mauritius Police Force and National Coast Guard Police Sgt. Thomas Shane climbs a hook ladder for visit, board, search and seizure training during Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 (CE25) in Port Louis, Mauritius, on February 12, 2025. The event is one of three regional Express series exercises sponsored by U.S. Africa Command. The exercises provide collaborative opportunities for African nation security forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns. CE25 focused training in Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, but information sharing and coordination took place across nine maritime operation centers throughout the region. Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean,…

The sun beat down upon the pristine, white deck of the Galaxy Leader vehicle carrier as it steamed through the Red Sea about 80 kilometers west of Yemen’s port of Hodeidah on November 19, 2023.  The journey surely had the 25 international crew members on edge. Houthi rebels just weeks earlier had begun their lawless assault on global shipping. The Galaxy Leader crew’s worst fears were realized when a charging Mi-171Sh helicopter hovered over the 189-meter ship and deposited several masked gunmen onto the deck. They rushed unchallenged to the bridge and ordered crew members there to get on the…

Africa has a vast and resource-rich coastline, but its 37 coastal nations often struggle to find the resources to patrol and protect it. The continent’s coastline, which stretches 40,000 kilometers, represents more than 11% of the world’s total. The Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Guinea, the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea are rich in natural resources and offer critical pathways in global shipping. But its marine access also is a security problem, with criminals taking advantage of its expanses. Robbery, hijacking and piracy disrupt shipping lanes and threaten global trade. Illegal fishing devastates coastal economies, depletes fish stocks…

Attacks in the Red Sea by Houthi militia have disrupted world trade on an enormous scale. The terrorists have breached sea lanes through the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean. They have forced ships to alter their courses, adding as much as two weeks and thousands of nautical miles to shipping routes. The Houthis have hit more than 100 ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. The attacks by the Yemen-based Houthi militia have exposed the problems 37 African coastal countries face in providing security to their vast coastlines and maritime economic zones. Beyond terrorism,…

Morocco has deployed the first of its new Apache AH-64E helicopters during a military training exercise with the United States. The helicopters saw their first action in exercise African Lion in May 2025. The state-of-the-art helicopters, acquired from the U.S., are part of an order for 24 units, of which six are already operational, according to The Africa Report. Twenty-four Moroccan military personnel have been trained under a program offered by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Boeing is building the new Moroccan Apaches under a contract with the U.S. Army through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process. The…