How to Build Maritime Human Security Systems

This chapter draws lessons from the experiences of maritime regional security cooperation arrangement in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and in doing so sheds light on the current state of regional collective security in Africa. Some of the lessons are encapsulated in the leadership of the IOR through the professional Association—the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). IORA is currently the major organization that seeks to promote development, cooperation and trade within the Indian Ocean ecosystem. The IORA model is unique in the sense that, it is among the few regional organizations that deploy strategic human security (blue economy, political, environmental and security dimensions) strategy to advance the collective regional security needs. In the same breadth, it is not clear, whether the said regional cooperation within the IORA arrangement is driven by geography (location) or ideology (socio-cultural affiliations). This dilemma presents an opportunity for the African Union policy organs and sub-regional structures to learn the various strategies required for managing maritime security within the shared geographical loci.