[Senate Hearing 119-338]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-338
MARITIME SECURITY IN AFRICA: ASSESSING
THREATS TO COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY
AND NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA AND
GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
DECEMBER 10, 2025
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
63-168 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
=======================================================================
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho, Chairman
PETE RICKETTS, Nebraska JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
DAVID McCORMICK, Pennsylvania CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware
STEVE DAINES, Montana CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut
BILL HAGERTY, Tennessee TIM KAINE, Virginia
JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon
RAND PAUL, Kentucky CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey
TED CRUZ, Texas BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
MIKE LEE, Utah CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland
RICK SCOTT, Florida TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
JOHN R. CURTIS, Utah JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
JOHN CORNYN, Texas
Christopher M. Socha, Staff Director
Naz Durakoglu, Democratic Staff Director
John Dutton, Chief Clerk
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA AND
GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY
TED CRUZ, Texas CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey
STEVE DAINES, Montana CHRISTOPHER A. COONS. Delaware
RAND PAUL, Kentucky JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon
JOHN CORNYN, Texas CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland
JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Statements
Cruz, Hon. Ted, Chairman of the subcommittee, U.S. Senator from
Texas.......................................................... 1
Booker, Hon. Cory A., Ranking Member of the subcommittee, U.S.
Senator from New Jersey........................................ 3
Witnesses
Sylvester, Marco M., Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Transportation Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC....
................................................................. 6
Prepared statement........................................... 7
Nardi, Maggie, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Department of
State, Washington, DC.......................................... 8
Prepared statement........................................... 9
Perry, Ruth L., Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary,
Bureau of Oceans and International Enviromental and Scientific
Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC................... 11
Prepared statement........................................... 13
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted to
Marco M. Sylvester by Senator Jeanne Shaheen................... 24
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted to
Maggie Nardi by Senator Jeanne Shaheen......................... 24
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted to
Maggie Nardi by Senator Brian Shatz............................ 25
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted to
Ruth L. Perry by Senator Jeanne Shaheen........................ 26
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted to
Ruth L. Perry by Senator Brian Schatz.......................... 27
(iii)
MARITIME SECURITY IN AFRICA: ASSESSING THREATS TO COMMERCIAL DIPLOMACY
AND NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS
----------
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2025--pm
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Africa
and Global Health Policy,
Committee on Foreign Relations,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:38 p.m., in
room SD-419, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Ted Cruz,
chairman of the subcommittee, presiding.
Present: Senators Cruz [presiding], Booker, Shaheen, and
Van Hollen.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. TED CRUZ,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS
Senator Cruz. Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us.
This hearing is called to order.
Today's hearing focuses on China's dominance of maritime
security in Africa and the importance of strengthening the
U.S.-Africa partnership. As I have said before, I intend for
this subcommittee to serve as the primary forum for shaping and
articulating the policies of the United States toward Africa. I
believe that fundamentally China is a global threat that must
be confronted, region by region, territory by territory, and
nation by nation. The challenges posed by China and Africa are
vast. But there is also an immense opportunity for the United
States and for American businesses to flourish.
In addition to Africa's natural resources, China seeks
total control and dominance of Africa's rare earth minerals,
its land, and its maritime ports. The Chinese Communist Party
is executing a deliberate, methodical strategy to expand its
footprint across Africa, economically, politically, and
militarily with the ultimate goal of undermining the United
States and projecting power into some of the most strategic
regions of the world. Nowhere is that strategy more apparent or
more dangerous than in the maritime domain.
China understands that control of maritime ports means
control over global commerce and strategic leverage over the
United States. Africa's coastlines sit at the crossroads of
global arteries and Beijing intends to dominate them.
We have already seen what that looks like. Since 2017,
China has operated a military base in Djibouti, mere miles down
the road from ours. Beijing is also actively negotiating
military access agreements up and down the Horn of Africa.
Their goal is clear--secure naval presence at the gateway to
the Red Sea, which is one of the most critical shipping
corridors in the world.
And as our adversaries test us with attacks on
international shipping and even direct threats to our own
facilities such as the Houthi threats to U.S. forces in
Djibouti, failing to respond with strength sends one message,
that America is not willing to defend its interests or its
allies. That sentiment only encourages Beijing and every other
hostile actor to keep pushing.
Today's hearing focuses specifically on maritime security
in Africa and the implications for U.S. commercial diplomacy.
The security of Africa's waters has a direct bearing on the
security of the United States. The continent's Atlantic coast
connects to our homeland through the same maritime routes that
carry our energy supplies, commerce, and unfortunately
transnational criminal flows. On the other side of the
continent, the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean form the
western flank of the Indo-Pacific, where China seeks to expand
its naval reach. If we overlook Africa's maritime
vulnerabilities, we leave open pathways that adversaries can
exploit against us.
This issue is not theoretical. It addresses an acute,
present, and real threat to global commerce and security.
China's influence in Africa's maritime ports also directly
impacts American workers, our economic stability, and our
national security. First, China's aggressive pursuit of a
military port in West Africa would represent a major threat to
U.S. security. A Chinese naval facility on the Atlantic would
allow Beijing to operate warships, including submarines,
opposite our East Coast. It would also fundamentally put
American cities, shipping, and undersea infrastructure at risk.
Second, China's malign behavior on the seas already harms
African nations and the United States. Illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing by Chinese vessels devastates local
economies, fuels corruption, and drives instability. It also
undermines legitimate U.S. commercial engagement, engagement
that should be building prosperity and trust with our African
partners, not ceding the field to the CCP.
Third, the maritime domain is increasingly a battleground
for hybrid warfare, including piracy and criminal networks,
human trafficking routes, narcotrafficking routes, sabotage,
and interference with undersea cables, and coercive economic
practices. China is exploiting all of these avenues, not just
one, all of them.
The United States should modernize and adequately fund the
tools required to counter the CCP's maritime expansion, defend
freedom of navigation, and protect American commercial
interests.
But let me be clear. We will block any attempt by the CCP
to take advantage of our African partners or the United States.
In previous hearings, I have emphasized the importance of the
United States being the preferred partner for African nations.
We offer transparency, economic growth, the rule of law, and
respect for sovereignty, while China pursues exploitation
across every domain. The CCP intends to displace the United
States globally, and Africa is a critical medium of that
ambition. Maritime domain is one of their many campuses.
Thank you and I look forward to your testimonies. I now
recognize Ranking Member Booker.
STATEMENT OF HON. CORY A. BOOKER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY
Senator Booker. I want to thank Senator Cruz for working
together to hold this hearing. I appreciate him and his focus
on these issues. I want to thank the witnesses for being here
today. You all are in really important jobs and have taken time
out to prepare for this hearing and to be here today. It is
much appreciated for what I think is a vital conversation.
In previous subcommittee hearings, we have heard a lot
about how the Trump administration is saying that they are
prioritizing commercial diplomacy in Africa. As a result, this
hearing is going to examine what the Administration is doing to
secure Africa's maritime domain, which directly connects to
U.S. economic, trade, and security interests.
Thirty-eight of Africa's 54 countries are either coastal or
island States--38 of the 54. Sub-Saharan Africa has two major
coastlines, one along the Atlantic Ocean, the other along the
Indian Ocean. And so we need to take a look at Africa and its
maritime domain as part of the transatlantic space and the
Indo-Pacific and global security in and of itself.
And so this is a frustration I have when I hear the
Administration talk about transatlantic or Indo-Pacific policy.
I rarely hear conversations about Africa. The continent also
includes coastlines along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,
which are critical to U.S. security interests and the global
economy. In fact, one-third of the world's shipping passes
through Africa's maritime checkpoints--one third--and 25
percent of global trade flows through the Red Sea, the Gulf of
Aden, and to the Western Indian Ocean.
We cannot ignore the challenges present in Africa's coastal
waters. Not only do these challenges rob the region of economic
progress stability, food security, and sovereignty, they also
affect U.S. shippers, U.S. businesses, and our security
interests, on top of the increasing costs Americans pay for
goods. The safety of our U.S. citizens abroad and competition
with China and Russia and a host of other reasons means that we
should be far more focused on the issues we will be discussing
today.
And so, here are some of the challenges I would like to
zone in on. Houthis attacks have forced global shipping
companies to divert routes away from the Red Sea, adding 2
weeks and 6,000 nautical miles to a vessel's journey around
South Africa. Insurance premiums for shipping have surged,
raising the cost for goods for consumers here in the United
States and across the globe. In addition, piracy has spiked
again off the coast of Somalia and continues in the Gulf of
Guinea. I would like to hear from you all about how the
Department is working across agencies and with coastal African
countries to increase the security of these shipping lanes.
Second, as my colleague has mentioned, China is a really
big competitor trying to fill the vacuum that America seems to
be creating through its retreat from the continent of Africa.
China's first foreign military base in Africa is in Djibouti,
near a critical shipping chokepoint and only 4 miles away from
the U.S. strategic base in Djibouti. PRC State-owned firms
control or hold stakes in about 60 to 70 ports across the
African continent, with suspected interests in making dual-use
ports with potential military applications. This should be
frightening or staggering to Americans who are concerned about
our global interests.
The previous AFRICOM Commander has testified before
Congress, stating that a PRC base on Africa's Atlantic coast
would alter the whole calculus of geostrategic global campaign
plans for U.S. homeland protection. And he later called for
U.S. leadership to counter China's efforts in West Africa,
which frankly are significant. And then on the other hand,
Russia has been in negotiations, as we have seen across the
news, with the Sudanese military government for a number of
years to establish a naval base in Port Sudan, right on the Red
Sea.
And so today, I would like to hear from you about what the
Department is doing to counter China's naval-basing aspirations
in Africa and how we are working to become a partner of choice
to African countries looking to improve or establish port
infrastructure.
Africa is also the continent from which the highest share
of human trafficking flows originate. Coastal African countries
are sources, transit points, and destinations for men, women,
and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.
After the Trump administration's irresponsible decision to
terminate a majority of U.S. foreign assistance programs, I
would really like to hear what the State Department's plan is,
what they are going to do to help countries stop and prevent
this grotesque level of human trafficking.
Illegal fishing dramatically reduces the catch of local
fisheries, diminishing sources of protein and livelihoods for
regions. Indeed, a lot of the instability we are seeing in some
West African nations has some solid roots to the overfishing
done by many Chinese vessels in West African fisheries. Some
estimates place annual losses to African coastal States due to
illegal fishing at $2.3 to $3.3 billion. China maintains the
largest distance water fishing fleet, with hundreds of vessels
illegally fishing off the coast of West Africa, to devastating
effects on the countries that are on that coast. I would like
to hear from you how the Department is working to combat
illegal fishing and support blue economies along the coast of
Africa. This is vital not just to African interests but to
security interests in the region and U.S. economic interests.
These cost-cutting issues do not fit neatly into any one
bureau or office at the State Department, and they involve
multiple U.S. departments and agencies, from State to DoD to
the U.S. Coast Guard, and development agencies like the
Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Development Finance
Corporation. As a result, the U.S. must have interagency
strategies and tools to address the challenges related to
Africa's maritime security.
With a focus on commercial diplomacy at the State
Department, I would have actually expected a plan, a strategy,
a set of processes put forward to address these issues, these
growing crises, these growing threats against the
Administration's Stated goals. Instead we see the growing
challenges on the continent because of this Administration's
withdrawal from its investments and strategic partnerships on
the continent.
There is no strategy that I have seen. The Administration
has terminated and defunded many of the bipartisan tools that
my colleagues, including my former colleague, now the Secretary
of State, have endorsed. For years now I have worked on this
committee with partners that understand that this, the growing
strength, the growing population, the growing importance of the
African continent demands from us an effective strategy. It is
very sad, and, in fact, tragic to see the Administration
offering none, and yet pulling away from a continent that
desperately needs American strength, and this unfortunately is
creating a vacuum being filled by the Chinese and the Russians.
While the Trump administration now is failing, they are
failing to nominate an Assistant Secretary for African Affairs,
which is stunning. It allows U.S. ambassadorial positions
across Africa to remain vacant. We have offered, as Democrats,
to do everything we can to fast-track the process if they will
nominate people for many of these positions. And then the
reductions in force among State Department employees, the
shutdowns of USAID, the terminating of a majority of U.S.
foreign assistance to Africa, the drastic reduction of our
tools, our collective expertise, and our presence, have made
ground for China, Russia, and other malign actors to swoop in
and undermine not just the stability of the continent today,
but to undermine the stability in the future.
This hearing, I think, is vital and that is why I am
appreciative of my colleague, Ted Cruz. The subcommittee is
having the first hearing since Donald Trump actually has shown
through his leadership vile and insulting language of entire
countries in Africa. I remember when I traveled to Africa right
after, in his first term, when he referred to many countries in
Africa as shithole countries. I had heads of State, peers, and
ambassadors show me such disgust and distress that the leader
of the United States of America would refer to these countries
in this manner.
But I want to take this opportunity now in Donald Trump's
second term, where he continues that kind of rhetoric, to
strongly condemn the President's hurtful, xenophobic, and
frankly anti-American comments about Somalia, Somalis, and even
Americans like Representative Omar. We know that Somali
refugees and Somali Americans are truly people in this Nation
that have provided such strength and value to who we are. I
know Somali Americans, like every American, which are one of
many ethnic groups that make the fabric of our Nation. They
have shown such strength in their contributions to make our
Nation stronger and better. It is absolutely unconscionable to
me, unimaginable to me, that a President of the United States
would use such vile, hurtful, demeaning, and degrading rhetoric
about any group of Americans, and especially the consequences
it has in our relations with those countries of origin.
This is an important hearing, but I tell you, my experience
on this committee has been so affirming in the past, I am
hoping that we cannot just talk about these issues, but join
together to work to make sure the State Department actually has
the kind of strategies we need to advance American interests,
American partnerships, and strengthen growth between the U.S.
and nations in Africa.
And with that, Mr. Chairman, I am grateful.
Senator Cruz. Thank you. I would now like to introduce our
three witnesses for today.
Our first witness is Marco Sylvester, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Transportation Affairs. Marco, I would be remiss
if I did not give a shout-out to your wife, Sara, who spent
several years as my scheduling director, running my life.
Please give Sara my best.
Senator Booker. Which one is--oh, Sara is not here. Is she
here?
Senator Cruz. No.
Senator Booker. Oh, you are here. Fantastic.
Senator Cruz. I did not even--she was hiding behind you.
OK, well, there you go. I will give the shout-out myself. Good
to see you.
Senator Booker. That cannot be an easy job, to have been
your scheduler.
Senator Cruz. Sara, let me know afterwards if he does a
good job or not. Just give me your critique.
Our second witness is Ms. Maggie Nardi, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Africa and the Middle East, and the
Office of International Negotiations in the Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
And our third witness is Dr. Ruth Perry, Acting Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Ocean, Fisheries, and Polar Affairs in the Bureau of Oceans and
International Environment and Scientific Affairs. She is also a
fellow Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M--Gig 'Em. And I, for
one, am predicting a national championship of A&M versus Texas
Tech, and I am looking forward to wearing a Switzerland shirt
while cheering them both on.
Ms. Perry. It is too early.
Senator Cruz. With that, I will recognize Mr. Sylvester for
your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF MARCO M. SYLVESTER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
TRANSPORTATION AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Sylvester. Thank you, Senator. Chairman Cruz, Ranking
Member Booker, and distinguished members of the committee,
thank you for the opportunity to discuss maritime challenges in
Africa today.
Africa's maritime domain is vital to global commerce,
energy, and food security. Under Secretary Rubio's leadership,
the State Department is committed to protecting U.S. interests
by enhancing maritime domain awareness, supporting American
economic interests, and countering malign influence in this
critical region.
As both of you mentioned in your testimonies, our
adversaries increasingly target strategic African ports,
seeking military and commercial advantages. These nations
promote State-owned and affiliated companies, including
untrusted port technologies, allowing them access to sensitive
information and the ability to disrupt foreign trade. Such
influence undermines host nations' sovereignty over their
infrastructure and fosters corruption. For the United States,
this creates economic and national security risks.
President Trump's unprecedented successes in rebalancing
our trade relationships globally and Secretary Rubio's emphasis
on advancing U.S. business abroad have opened new opportunities
across Africa. Through diplomatic engagement and targeted
programs, the Department advocates for transparent port
governance and exposes predatory lending. These actions reduce
our adversaries' influence in the transportation sector.
Our Economic Bureau and the Department's economic officers
on the ground in Africa are identifying commercial
opportunities and facilitating connections for U.S. firms while
supporting fair trade. The Department's 2026 Port Prosperity
Partnership will connect U.S. and African ports to share best
practices, improve security, and foster innovation.
In the Red Sea and the surrounding sea lanes, Houthi
attacks, enabled by Iranian support, have endangered innocent
seafarers, disrupted trade, and threatened regional stability.
President Trump, through the historic Gaza Peace Plan, is
increasing shipping lane security to the benefit of American
consumers and American security.
Mr. Chairman, the Trump administration is committed to
growing trade with Africa. A stable, secure maritime sector is
essential to this goal. We support regional cooperation and
African-led solutions that uphold freedom of navigation, the
rule of law, and global prosperity. By increasing our
engagement and commercial diplomacy with African nations, we
help secure vital maritime routes, foster American prosperity,
and safeguard our national security.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Sylvester follows:]
Prepared Statement of Marco M. Sylvester
Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Booker, distinguished members of the
committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss maritime challenges
in Africa.
Africa's maritime domain is vital to global commerce, energy, and
food security. Under Secretary Rubio's leadership, the State Department
is committed to protecting U.S. interests by enhancing maritime domain
awareness, supporting American economic interests, and countering
malign influence in this critical region.
Strategic African ports are increasingly targeted by our
adversaries seeking military and commercial advantages. These nations
promote state-owned and affiliated companies, including untrusted port
technologies, allowing them access to sensitive information and the
ability to disrupt foreign trade. Such influence undermines host
nations' sovereignty over their infrastructure and fosters corruption.
For the United States, this creates economic and national security
risks.
President Trump's unprecedented successes in rebalancing our trade
relationships globally and Secretary Rubio's emphasis on advancing U.S.
business abroad have opened new opportunities across Africa. Through
diplomatic engagement and targeted programs, the Department advocates
for transparent port governance and exposes predatory lending. These
actions reduce our adversaries influence in the transportation sector.
Our Economic Bureau and the Department's economic officers on the
ground in Africa are identifying commercial opportunities and
facilitating connections for U.S. firms while supporting fair trade.
The Department's 2026 Port Prosperity Partnership will connect U.S. and
African ports to share best practices, improve security, and foster
innovation.
In the Red Sea and surrounding sea lanes, Houthi attacks--enabled
by Iranian support--have endangered innocent seafarers, disrupted
trade, and threatened regional stability. President Trump, through the
historic Gaza Peace Plan, is increasing shipping lane security to the
benefit American consumers.
Mr. Chairman, the Trump administration is committed to growing
trade with Africa. A stable, secure maritime sector is essential to
this goal. We support regional cooperation and African-led solutions
that uphold freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and global
prosperity. By increasing our engagement and commercial diplomacy with
African nations, we help secure vital maritime routes, foster America's
prosperity, and safeguard our national security.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Senator Cruz. Thank you.
Ms. Nardi, you are now recognized for your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF MAGGIE NARDI, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU
OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS,
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, DC
Ms. Nardi. Thank you, Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Booker,
and distinguished members of the subcommittee, I also thank you
for this opportunity to address maritime security challenges in
Africa.
The State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics
and Law Enforcement Affairs, or INL, confronts illicit maritime
activity that threatens freedom of navigation and endangers
U.S. interests. INL combats transnational criminal
organizations, or TCOs, which exploit gaps in maritime law
enforcement across Africa to smuggle drugs and illegally
extracted natural resources. In the Western Indian Ocean and
along the east coast, law enforcement data shows a 150 percent
increase in methamphetamine seizures just in the past year, and
that includes some seizures conducted with INL assistance.
In Southern and Eastern Africa, U.S. law enforcement is
seeing evidence of Mexican cartels exploiting maritime routes
and regulatory gaps to traffic synthetic drugs; and with host
country counterparts, law enforcement has identified eight
large-scale, cartel-linked methamphetamine labs.
The West, the Gulf of Guinea remains a hotspot for illicit
activity. Foreign industrial fleets, including many linked to
China, drive alarming levels of illegal, unreported, and
unregulated (IUU) fishing. This deepens economic instability,
leaving coastal populations vulnerable to recruitment by
criminal and terrorist organizations.
Russia and China are more than willing to violate African
sovereignty in pursuit of military and commercial footholds,
although China is more engaged than Russia in the maritime
space. China is active in nearly every African country, and
established its first overseas People's Liberation Army, or
PLA, base in Djibouti, as was mentioned.
In 2023, an INL project identified links between fishing
vessels that were escorted by the PLA Naval Escort Task Force
from that base with China's Maritime Belt and Road Initiative
projects across West Africa. China is involved in over a
quarter of all African ports, and we are aware that Chinese
officials have discussed the possibility of a maritime facility
with Gabon, and may be pursuing additional basing opportunities
in the region. This activity creates corruption risks and
reduces opportunities for U.S. trade and investment.
To address these threats, INL is improving maritime
enforcement and port security, countering transnational crime,
and strengthening the rule of law to enable U.S. commercial
activity. INL provides direct maritime law enforcement and port
security equipment and training, working with other U.S.
agencies to help countries confront activities that threaten
shipping lanes and U.S. businesses, and provide revenue to TCOs
and terrorists.
Our programs address complex crimes and support
information-sharing and tracking and targeting technology, as
well as effective prosecution. These efforts are paying
dividends. Just last month, Mauritian law enforcement officials
who are trained by INL intercepted 433 kilos of cocaine. Port
security is a critical element of maritime security. An
effective cargo screening and verification aides efforts to
combat smuggling, and reduces vulnerability to exploitation by
malign Chinese actors.
To counter Chinese interference with U.S. trade interests,
INL works with the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border
Protection to improve port security and cybersecurity
infrastructure in West Africa. In Gabon, INL is procuring
maritime vessels and providing training to counter IUU fishing
and other illicit maritime activity.
INL is also facilitating information-sharing between the
Gulf of Guinea nations and Latin American partners to address
the transcontinental trafficking by Western Hemisphere-based
FTOs. A recent operation by INL-trained units that included
work between Cabo Verde, Mauritania, Portugal, and Brazil
resulted in an at-sea interdiction of approximately one ton of
cocaine transiting the Gulf of Guinea.
With the committee's support, INL intends to continue
strengthening maritime security and countering destructive
criminal actors in support of U.S. trade and investment. Secure
maritime routes in Africa are essential to reliable movement of
U.S. commerce.
I want to thank you for your attention and your leadership
on these threats to maritime security which impact the United
States, and I welcome your questions. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Nardi follows:]
Prepared Statement of Maggie Nardi
Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Booker, and distinguished members of
the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to address maritime
security challenges in Africa and the Department of State's efforts to
counter threats to U.S. interests and commercial diplomacy. Through
robust partnerships with African governments and interagency
coordination, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs (INL) confronts illicit maritime activity, piracy, and
trafficking networks that threaten freedom of navigation and endanger U
.S. commercial interests.
Confronting the Surge of Illicit Maritime Activity
INL programs combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and
other illicit actors who exploit gaps in maritime law enforcement
across Africa to smuggle a variety of illicit goods, including drugs
and illegally extracted natural resources. In the Western Indian Ocean,
networks originating in Southwest Asia--particularly Afghanistan and
Iran--traffic heroin, methamphetamines, and other narcotics via dhows
and other vessels, moving drugs from production areas through the
Arabian Sea and along the East African coast. Recent law enforcement
data reveal a 150 percent increase in methamphetamine seizures in the
past year, including some conducted as a result of INL assistance,
along traditional Southwest Asian trafficking routes. In addition,
there have been eight cases of large scale Mexican cartel-linked
methamphetamine laboratories operating in Southern and Eastern Africa,
which had not been observed in the region prior to 2023. U.S. law
enforcement is also seeing evidence of Mexican cartels exploiting
maritime routes and regulatory gaps governing precursor chemicals to
traffic synthetic drugs in the region.
On Africa's west coast, the Gulf of Guinea remains a hotspot for
piracy, illegal fishing, and drug trafficking from the Caribbean and
South America. INL is providing direct maritime law enforcement
training, port security equipment and training, and building
partnerships within the region, across the Atlantic, and with U.S. law
enforcement agencies to help countries confront these activities that
threaten vital shipping lanes and U.S. businesses, while also providing
revenue to TCOs and terrorist actors in North Africa and the Sahel.
Foreign industrial fleets, including many linked to China, exploit
regional waters, driving alarming levels of illegal, unreported, and
unregulated (IUU) fishing. This depletes fish stocks and worsens
economic instability, leaving coastal populations vulnerable to
recruitment by criminal and terrorist organizations.
Russia and China are more than willing to violate African
sovereignty in the pursuit of military and commercial footholds along
African coasts. China is active in nearly every African country, with
at least 61 port projects, and its first overseas People's Liberation
Army (PLA) base in Djibouti. In 2023, an INL project identified links
between fishing vessels escorted by the PLA Naval Escort Task Force and
a privately operated fishing base in Mauritania, supported by China's
maritime Belt and Road Initiative. These vessels and their owners have
created corruption risks at every level in various African countries,
which reduces opportunities for U.S. trade investment.
U.S. Responses and Partnerships
INL programming addresses these maritime threats by improving
maritime enforcement and port security in West Africa, countering
transnational threats, and enabling U.S. trade and investment. IUU
fishing is often linked to other crimes, making it imperative that our
training programs include counternarcotics, identification of human
trafficking and forced labor, information sharing and technology to
track and target vessels for interdiction, as well as training on the
``judicial finish'' to help countries prosecute complex maritime
crimes.
Port security is also a critical element of maritime security.
Ensuring cargo that is transiting or off-loaded at ports is screened
and verified aids our efforts to combat TCOs that are known to smuggle
weapons, drugs, people, and other illicit goods via cargo containers in
poorly secured ports. To counter malign Chinese interference with U.S.
trade interests in West Africa and to protect Americans from online
scams, INL is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and CBP to improve port
security and cyber security infrastructure in West Africa.
In the Western Indian Ocean, INL brings together countries impacted
by transnational criminal activity to share information and
collaboratively respond to violations of sovereignty. We work closely
with partners to strengthen their abilities to track, board, and
apprehend those engaged in illegal activities to ensure consistent
prosecution and incarceration of criminals that threaten U.S. national
security. And our efforts are paying dividends--just last month,
Mauritian law enforcement officers, trained by INL on maritime search
and seizure techniques, intercepted 433 kilos of cocaine with an
estimated street value of over $70 million.
Strengthening Targeted U.S. Support for African Partners
INL is strengthening targeted programming to secure vulnerable
ports and maritime areas by working with U.S. law enforcement partners
to train West African maritime law enforcement and judicial officials
to combat maritime crime and piracy that threatens U.S. security and
commercial interests. INL is also facilitating information sharing
between countries on the Gulf of Guinea and Latin American partners to
address transcontinental trafficking by Western Hemisphere-based FTOs.
A recent maritime enforcement operation by INL trained units that
included work between Cabo Verde, Mauritania, Portugal, and Brazil
resulted in an at-sea interdiction of an estimated one ton of cocaine
transiting the Gulf of Guinea.
We are also supporting customs enforcement in major African ports
to increase interdictions of illicit goods often exploited by malign
Chinese actors. In Gabon, INL is in the process of procuring Defender-
class maritime vessels and training to counter IUU fishing,
particularly activities linked to China. INL also supports customs work
at Gabon's Port of Libreville-Owendo by establishing an inter-agency
Port Control Unit to combat transnational crime at the seaport. With
INL support to professionalize the Kenyan Coast Guard, Kenya conducted
20 joint operations with neighboring countries in a six-month period
earlier this year, resulting in interdictions of drugs and disruptions
to human trafficking networks.
In addition, INL supports a range of initiatives to strengthen
maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean, including technical
assistance and equipment provision to improve intelligence-driven
operations and legal frameworks for prosecuting maritime crimes. In
2026, INL is evaluating additional opportunities in East and Southern
Africa to strengthen oversight and management of maritime ports,
particularly ports experiencing increased Chinese maritime
interference.
Conclusion
In conclusion, with this committee's support, INL intends to
continue working with our regional partners to strengthen maritime and
port security as well as counter destructive criminal actors in support
of U.S. trade and investment. Secure maritime routes in Africa are
essential to ensure reliable movement of U.S. commerce, especially
energy and critical minerals. When maritime governance is weak,
adversaries exploit these gaps and U.S. supply chains are threatened.
Thank you for your attention and leadership on these threats to
maritime security which impact the United States. I welcome you
questions.
Senator Cruz. Thank you.
Dr. Perry, you are recognized for your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF RUTH L. PERRY, ACTING PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY, BUREAU OF OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND
SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, DC
Ms. Perry. Thank you. Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Booker,
Senator Shaheen, and the distinguished members of the
committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you
today about the impact of maritime challenges in Africa on the
U.S. fishing industry and how the Department of State will take
action to protect the livelihoods of our fishermen.
As a proud Texan and longtime steward of the Gulf of
America, I know firsthand the threat illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing poses to our economy, environment, and
national security. The Gulf is America's working coast, vital
to food systems and energy infrastructure. Yet foreign vessels,
like those from Mexico, deplete iconic species like Red Snapper
and undermine fishing industry efforts to maintain sustainable
fisheries. This is not just an environmental issue. It is about
sovereignty and economic security.
Under the leadership of State's Bureau of Oceans and
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, we convened
an emergency interagency task force with Department of Justice,
NOAA, and the Coast Guard. For the first time, individuals
caught illegally fishing are being prosecuted under the Lacey
Act. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of OES, I am committed to
building this momentum. The stakes are too high, and we must
act decisively act to protect our fish, our fishermen, and
America's working coast.
IUU fishing off Africa's coast is not just a local problem.
It threatens U.S. fishermen, our industry, and our national
security. U.S. commercial and recreational fishing generate
nearly half a trillion dollars annually and supports 2.5
million jobs. We have built the world's most respected
fisheries management system--science based, strongly enforced,
and proven to ensure long-term species health. But our
companies face unfair competition from nations that ignore
catch limits, food safety, and labor laws, all practices
driving prices artificially low. The State Department is
committed to confronting this challenge head on, protecting
American jobs, and defending the integrity of our seafood
supply.
Over the years, U.S. market share for American seafood
producers has steadily fallen, and more than 80 percent of the
seafood consumed in the United States is imported. Data suggest
imports have fallen this year, but fish and fish products
coming into the U.S. from Africa are still valued in the
hundreds of millions of dollars.
IUU fishing in African waters not only distorts global
markets and creates unfair competition for U.S. seafood
producers, it directly undermines the livelihoods of American
commercial and recreational fishermen. Highly migratory species
of tuna and billfish range across the Atlantic Ocean; illegal
and unsustainable harvests off Africa can mean fewer of these
keystone fish return to our waters. That damage is just part of
what some sources say is roughly $10 billion in annual losses
Africa suffers from IUU fishing, driven by both domestic fleets
and distant-water fleets, primarily from China. But the
consequences go far beyond economics. This illegal activity is
increasingly tied to transnational crime, including human
trafficking, drug smuggling, and maritime insecurity, posing a
direct threat to regional stability and ultimately American
security.
Advancing and defending the U.S. fishing industry is an
administration priority. President Trump's April Executive
Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness calls for a
whole-of-government approach to promote the productive harvest
of our seafood resources, combat IUU fishing, and protect our
seafood markets from unfair trade practices.
The Department of State works with the Department of
Commerce and other agencies to ensure the American fishing
industry competes on a level playing field. Together, we push
the other members of regional fisheries management
organizations to adopt binding fishing rules for shared stocks
that are in line with our high domestic standards, based on the
best available science and backed by effective fisheries
monitoring and control. Where foreign nations break the rules
or refuse to step up, the State Department works with our
interagency partners to ban their vessels from U.S. ports and
close our markets to their products.
A unified interagency response is not just important, it is
essential. Combating IUU fishing and its associated criminal
networks requires effectively coordinated and efficiently
deployed U.S. capabilities. This is why the State Department,
NOAA, and the Coast Guard lead a whole-of-government effort to
combat IUU fishing under the Maritime Security and Fisheries
Enforcement Act, or the Maritime SAFE Act, since 2019. To
protect U.S. fishermen and our markets, we have provided
technology, training, and equipment; participated in
enforcement actions; and created frameworks for lasting
regional cooperation throughout Africa. For example, Ghana now
uses the American-made SmartMast system to increase its
maritime domain awareness, setting the stage for increased
cooperation with its neighbors. These achievements are
something to be proud of. But the danger to the American
fishing industry from IUU fishing in African waters persists.
Progress is moving too slowly. To protect our fishing
industry, we must ensure American producers stay competitive
worldwide and that our economy is strengthened and the industry
is preserved for the next generations. That means securing
access to healthy fish stocks and guarding against threats from
bad actors and irresponsible nations. The Department of State
is building a refined approach that is faster, more targeted,
and more agile to combat the dynamic threat posed to American
industry by illegal, unsustain-able, and unfair fishing
practices in Africa.
The State Department is closing the gap between America's
high standards and the exploitative practices of fleets in
African waters. The U.S. fishing industry sets the global
benchmark for sustainability, with thriving stocks to prove it.
But protecting this success requires coordinated action--
diplomatic, enforcement, and scientific. We will punish bad
actors, hold partners accountable, put American fishermen
first, and defend our waters, our economy, and our way of life.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Perry follows:]
Prepared Statement of Ruth L. Perry
Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Booker, and distinguished members of
the commitee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today
about the impact of maritime challenges in Africa on the U.S. fishing
industry and how the Department of State will take action to protect
the livelihoods of our fishermen.
As a proud Texan and longtime steward of the Gulf of America, I
know firsthand the threat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing poses to our economy, environment, and national security. The
Gulf is America's working coast--vital to food systems and energy
infrastructure. Yet foreign vessels, like those from Mexico, deplete
iconic species like Red Snapper and undermine fishing industry efforts
to maintain sustainable fisheries. This is not just an environmental
issue--it is about sovereignty and economic security.
Under the leadership of State's Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs, we convened an emergency
interagency task force with DOJ, NOAA, and the Coast Guard. For the
first time, individuals caught illegally fishing are being prosecuted
under the Lacey Act--a critical step forward. As Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State, I am commited to building this momentum. The stakes
are too high; we must act decisively to protect our fish, our
fishermen, and America's working coast.
IUU fishing off Africa's coast is not just a local problem--it
threatens U.S. fishermen, our industry, and our national security. U.S.
commercial and recreational fishing generate nearly half a trillion
dollars annually and supports 2.5 million jobs. We've built the world's
most respected fisheries management system--science based, strongly
enforced, and proven to ensure long-term species health. But our
companies face unfair competition from nations that ignore catch
limits, food safety, and labor laws--all practices driving prices
artificially low. The State Department is commited to confronting this
challenge head on, protecting American jobs, and defending the
integrity of our seafood supply.
Over the years, U.S. market share for American seafood producers
has steadily fallen, and more than 80 percent of the seafood consumed
in the United States is imported. Data suggest imports have fallen this
year, but fish and fish products coming into the U.S. from Africa are
still valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
IUU fishing in African waters not only distorts global markets and
creates unfair competition for U.S. seafood producers--it directly
undermines the livelihoods of American commercial and recreational
fishermen. Highly migratory species of tuna and billfish range across
the Atlantic Ocean; illegal and unsustainable harvests off Africa can
mean fewer of these keystone fish return to our waters. That damage is
just part of what some sources say is roughly $10 billion in annual
losses Africa suffers from IUU fishing--driven by both domestic fleets
and distant-water fleets, primarily from China. But the consequences go
far beyond economics. This illegal activity is increasingly tied to
transnational crime, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and
maritime insecurity--posing a direct threat to regional stability and
ultimately American security.
Advancing and defending the U.S. fishing industry is an
administration priority. President Trump's April Executive Order on
Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness calls for a whole-of-
government approach to promote the productive harvest of our seafood
resources, combat IUU fishing, and protect our seafood markets from
unfair trade practices.
The Department of State works with the Department of Commerce and
other agencies to ensure the American fishing industry competes on a
level playing field. Together, we push the other members of Regional
Fisheries Management Organizations to adopt binding fishing rules for
shared stocks that are in line with our high domestic standards--based
on the best available science and backed by effective fisheries
monitoring and control. Where foreign nations break the rules or refuse
to step up, the State Department works with our interagency partners to
ban their vessels from U.S. ports and close our market to their
products.
A unified interagency response isn't just important, it's
essential. Combating IUU fishing and its associated criminal networks
requires effectively coordinated and efficiently deployed U.S.
capabilities. This is why the State Department, NOAA, and the Coast
Guard lead the whole-of-government effort to combat IUU fishing under
the Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement Act, or the Maritime
SAFE Act, since 2019. To protect U.S. fishermen and our markets, we've
provided technology, training, and equipment; participated in
enforcement actions; and created frameworks for lasting regional
cooperation throughout Africa. For example, Ghana now uses the
American-made SmartMast system to increase its maritime domain
awareness, setting the stage for increased cooperation with its
neighbors. These achievements are something to be proud of; but the
danger to the American fishing industry from IUU fishing in African
waters persists.
Progress is moving too slowly. To protect our fishing industry, we
must ensure American producers stay competitive worldwide and that our
economy is strengthened and the industry is preserved for the next
generations. That means securing access to healthy fish stocks and
guarding against threats from bad actors and irresponsible nations. The
Department of State is building a refined approach that is faster, more
targeted, and more agile to combat the dynamic threat posed to American
industry by illegal, unsustainable, and unfair fishing practices in
African waters.
The State Department is closing the gap between America's high
standards and the exploitative practices of fleets in African waters.
The U.S. fishing industry sets the global benchmark for sustainability,
with thriving stocks to prove it. But protecting this success requires
coordinated action--diplomatic, enforcement, and scientific. We will
punish bad actors, hold partners accountable, put American fishermen
first, and defend our waters, our economy, and our way of life.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today.
Senator Cruz. Thank you to each of the witnesses. As I
mentioned in my opening statement, China is actively exploiting
maritime access across Africa to undermine U.S. interests and
to position itself as the dominant power in the region. Beijing
is securing port access, building dual-use infrastructure,
expanding illegal fishing fleets, and leveraging debt to gain
long-term strategic footholds. The result is a slow but
deliberate remaking of maritime power in China's favor.
This first question is to all three of the witnesses. Walk
us through specifically how the Chinese are exploiting African
maritime access and what would Chinese dominance of key
chokepoints mean for global shipping, energy access, trade
flow, and the security of allies who rely on those routes? Mr.
Sylvester, we will start with you.
Mr. Sylvester. Thank you, Senator, for the question, and I
think it is extremely important to look at the African
continent but also Chinese influence in maritime globally. So
actually I would start upstream of what you had mentioned and
look at the maritime space as a whole. For example, China
controls 95 percent of the container manufacturing for cargo
globally. They control 60 percent of the shipbuilding globally.
They have one of the largest shipping lines in the world as a
State-owned enterprise.
So in order to counter this, of course, as you know,
President Trump signed the Restoring America's Maritime
Dominance Executive Order in April. That prescribed different
steps for reindustrializing and rebuilding of American
shipbuilding capacity. So I would start there, because with
those supply chain advantages China cannot only direct where
ships go, but also refuse to actually send ships to American-
aligned ports, not just encourage investment in Chinese-aligned
ports.
The second thing I would mention here is the predatory
lending schemes that we have seen across the continent. China,
many times, will undercut U.S. bids with upfront cash that have
many strings attached and really exploit the host countries to
ensure permanent control over those strategic locations.
The third thing I would say is, to the dual use point, that
they have shown the willingness to militarize these commercial
investments, either nearby or at the ports themselves.
Senator Cruz. Ms. Nardi?
Ms. Nardi. Thank you, Senator, for that question. I would
start with coastal West Africa, where we definitely see a very
intense Chinese effort to build ports, port facilities,
training facilities, or different sort of, I would say,
surveillance operations. When we saw that happening in Gabon we
decided to try to reach out to the government, to work with
them to make the United States the partner of choice, and to
talk to them about what we could do for them, and also their
own responsibilities, how we could make them stronger and more
self-sufficient. And as a result of that, we are working on a
million-dollar port security program and giving $4 million
worth of fast boats for them to increase patrolling of the
waters around that area.
In Cote d'Ivoire, where we have seen that there is a lot of
unknown vessels that are flagged Ivoirian, we are working them
to try to strengthen their flag recognition and limitations to
prevent Chinese or others from using their flags for illegal
vessels. We are looking at the opportunity to use satellite
information to do better tracking of unknown or suspicious
vessels that are out in that region.
And we are doing a lot of training regionally, as well,
through Interpol, UNODC, and others to get those countries to
work together to share information and also to arrest and
prosecute those who are related to Chinese illegal fishing.
But to your point, there are already--and I think you
mentioned this earlier on--the impacts of IUUF certainly are
being seen, where fishermen do not have, again, ability to make
a livelihood, and so they turn to narcotrafficking. They will
go out into the waters to pick up dead drops and move drugs
that will go on to Europe, either with the help of Balkan
networks, Nigerians, or others. Increased immigration, as well.
Emigration from Senegal to the United States has increased
significantly over the last several years. We believe part of
that is because of the impact to livelihoods there.
So there are a lot of immediate impacts already. The
longer-term impact, as my colleague noted, looking at the
bigger picture we are seeing out in the Pacific, where China is
offering to serve as the Navy for islands that do not have
their own Navy or their own Coast Guard, and, ``We'll do it for
you. You don't need to worry about that.'' So that is something
that we are also watching, and coastal West Africa, as a
potential threat.
Senator Cruz. Dr. Perry?
Ms. Perry. Thank you for the question. As you heard from my
colleagues covered much of the land and port side of this and
how it starts to disrupt maritime flows. Let me reinforce the
impact that you are talking about through your question,
Senator Cruz.
China's fleets have tens of thousands of vessels in Africa
and has $3.8 billion in total annual catch. This kind of scale,
combined with State subsidies and weak enforcement, allows
China to not only exploit those fisheries' resources at all
levels of the ecosystem and create ecocide through their
fishing practices but also takes away hundreds of thousands of
artisanal fisheries jobs from West Africa and other African
nations.
Chinese trawlers are backed by State subsidies, and they
dominate and outcompete the fishers, as I have mentioned. Weak
regulations and limited enforcement allow for illegal
practices, such as fishing in prohibited zones and using
destructive gear. These socioeconomic impacts are severe, and
Chinese industrial fishing fleets have contributed to
significant overfishing and habitat destruction in West African
waters.
So what are we doing to combat that? I mentioned the SAFE
Act. I am the newest co-chair, alongside my NOAA and U.S. Coast
Guard colleagues, which brings together 21 Federal agencies to
develop and implement strategies for priority regions. IUU
fishing, including Africa but also the Pacific, is a priority
for both the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary at the
Department of State, and now we are combining a statewide
approach to close the gap that China has created.
But there are also good practices. You heard that this is a
combination of monitoring, surveillance, and enforcement. For
example, our work with Ghana has made significant progress in
many of these areas. So I will not recapture the monitoring and
surveillance that you heard, but I will just add that we have
also been able to work with partners through our diplomacy to
improve legal structures so that when we monitor and detect
illegal fishing, and particularly Chinese interests, that these
countries like Ghana can actually enforce and respond and take
the threat away.
So in addition to the increased technology, increased
maritime domain awareness, we are also working on legal
structures and training so that the enforcement can actually
prove results. Thank you.
Senator Cruz. Thank you. Ranking Member Booker.
Senator Booker. I am going to defer to my Chairwoman.
Senator Cruz. Ranking Member Shaheen.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you very much, Senator Booker and
Chairman Cruz.
Before I get to the questions today I would like to address
two issues that apply to Africa and that are important to this
subcommittee. First, on yesterday's violence in the Democratic
Republic of Congo. News reports indicate that Rwanda-backed M23
rebels seized a key town in the east. This is a major
escalation, and it comes just days after President Trump hosted
the Rwandan and Congolese Presidents to tout a plan for peace
and prosperity.
Videos show civilians fleeing gunfire, and there are
reports of refugees streaming over the border into Burundi.
This is exactly what the agreement was meant to prevent. It
would appear that the Rwandan government gave President Trump
promises that the government was not willing to deliver on.
Senator Risch and I put out a statement on that peace signing,
and what we said in our statement was that the U.S. would act
if the parties do not uphold their commitments. I look forward
to working with members of this subcommittee to take those
necessary steps and encourage the Administration to also uphold
the commitments that were made.
Second, I want to reiterate the importance of U.S. support
for the Somali government, the Somali people, and the Somali
American community. Senator Booker addressed the comments that
the President made earlier in his comments. But at a moment
when cooperation with Somalia is essential to counter piracy
and strengthen security off its coast, it is important to
reaffirm that partnership. Our policy should be grounded in
facts and in the strength of our alliances, not in comments
that undercut communities who are critical to that work.
Mr. Sylvester, thank you, and thank you to all of our
witnesses for being here. In November, Senator Barrasso and I
introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure a whole-of-
government strategy on subsea cables for the Department of
State, to ensure that you have the requisite expertise you need
to lead international coordination on the subject.
Now, you may know, Mr. Sylvester, that New Hampshire is
home to SubCom. It is one of the world's biggest developers of
undersea cables. So can you talk a little bit about the role
that the State Department can play in supporting American
companies like subcom as they work to compete against the PRC
firms and win bids to lay cables across the world, and also to
help protect those cables.
Mr. Sylvester. Absolutely, Senator. Thank you for the
question. I have actually met with subcom personally and was
extremely impressed with the breadth of what they do and really
the history behind the company, so I appreciate that shoutout
for them.
So, what we are doing on the topic of subsea cables is
twofold. No. 1, trying to ensure that countries go with trusted
vendors for subsea cables rather than the Chinese alternatives.
So a couple of programs that went specifically to that. So in
the East Asia Pacific Bureau there is a program called the
CABLES Program. When that program started there was an 18
percent market share for what is now called HMN Tech in the
region, in EAP. After a few years, that market share is now
down to 7 percent. That program really was just an educational
program about the data security risks of going with untrusted
subsea cable vendors, and we already saw tremendous results, to
the point where the Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau is now
taking that program global, a program called ProCON. So that is
one thing, is encouraging that education.
The second thing is continuing diplomacy to encourage
partners to adopt the New York Principles. So this was an
agreement on not just education but also building out a
resilient system. While some cuts or some damage to subsea
cables may be inevitable because of ships sinking or accidental
anchor drags, this program, or these principles, encourage
countries to sign on to building a resilient system, so there
are not those chokepoints where one cut can be catastrophic to
the global and digital economy.
So those would be two examples. I will just say, as far as
the risks, where we have seen Chinese dominance in the South
China Sea, there have been incidents where there is
interference with the maintenance and repair of subsea cables.
And we are obviously concerned that if that influence were to
spread to a place like Africa or the Gulf of Guinea, where
there are a lot of connections to land, that similar incidents
could occur. So certainly it is a top priority for the
Department, Senator.
Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. I applaud the Government
of Finland for the work that they have done to address Russian
deliberately cutting of North Sea cables. I think we need to
encourage more countries to take that action. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Senator Cruz. Thank you.
Ranking Member Booker.
Senator Booker. Can I just go back to--it is an area that I
do not know as much about as my colleague. But I am familiar
with some of the undersea cable activity. For example, from
Tanzania to Zanzibar there was an extraordinary project, an
infrastructure investment, that helped deal with rolling
blackouts and a lot of other programs. Really critical
infrastructure being built.
My concern is that I know that was an MCC project, and with
our pulling back of resources it not only seems to be hurting
U.S. companies but also the kind of alliances that make our
infrastructure investments in Africa competitive with all that
China seems to be offering.
Do you have a perspective on the value of what has been a
bipartisan program in MCC and the value it plays in things like
the laying of these cables and the critical infrastructure that
China is rushing into Africa to provide?
Mr. Sylvester. Sure. Thank you, Senator, again for the
question on this very important topic. The MCC is still moving
forward with compacts--I understand there was a reexamination
of a number of them--but has certainly not ruled out that the
MCC would form new compacts going forward.
What I would say on investment with subsea cables
specifically, 70 percent of the investment toward subsea cable
infrastructure is by U.S. technology, what they call
hyperscaler companies, Google and Meta, that have invested
billions of dollars in Africa but across the world in the
buildout of subsea cables. That, still today, is the vast
majority of investment, even to those investments that might
not seem economical now.
Now, what our Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau has done
is invested in some of those connections from kind of the outer
coast actually to make those landings. So those are things that
are still going on, still certainly a priority. But if you
would like more information on that----
Senator Booker. No, I appreciate your expertise. Trust me.
It is helpful for me, and I am expanding my knowledge on this
issue, in particular. But just to go back to what you said, so
clearly the MCC has an impactful role. It is a program that has
been supported in a bipartisan manner, the value of it. I know
you said there have been no, necessarily, new compacts or
retreating from that, but could you testify here to the value
of the program.
Mr. Sylvester. Senator, my understanding is that compacts
are still moving forward.
Senator Booker. No, no, but the compacts themselves are
valuable, yes, in strategic relations, infrastructure, American
companies. They are valuable, correct?
Mr. Sylvester. I would say that the MCC itself, when they
move forward with projects, that the Administration, Secretary
Rubio, determine are
[inaudible].
Senator Booker. Did Ted cut your mic?
Mr. Sylvester. No. I think maybe I ran out of time. But
yes, I would say that the projects that the MCC pursues, new
projects and compacts that are preserved, yes, I think that
they are preserved because they have value. I am not sure on
the specific project that you are talking about.
Senator Booker. Understood. Let me continue. Again, this is
not my area of expertise, but I was surprised, on one of my
visits recently to West Africa, how both American companies
like Google, as well as people that were trying to partner in
some of the West African countries, said that the American
desire was there, the intention was there, but there was
corruption, specifically in those countries. And a lot of the
people in the State Department were saying to me, ``We are
doing a lot of really good work here helping these nations
battle corruption, to make it a better environment.''
But some of those programs that help with democracy seem to
have been pulled back--not seem to have been, have been pulled
back. And I guess if you can comment to me, the need, in many
ways, where U.S. business interests meet the State Department's
work on anticorruption efforts, especially in some of the West
African countries where there are great business opportunities,
but corruption undermines things like laying of these cables
that support great American companies.
Mr. Sylvester. Sure. Thank you, Senator, for that question.
I think a lot of that work on market reforms and structuring
some of those bids and those concessions go through the
Department of Commerce, their Commercial Advocacy Program, the
CLDP.
Senator Booker. I know a lot of the sources of them, but
the resources are being cut back. Correct?
Mr. Sylvester. So, Senator, on foreign aid broadly or
additional resources toward Africa, I think fundamentally what
the Administration has done is really rethought how to make
sure American tax dollars go as far as they can and how they
are well spent. So for example, Secretary Rubio signing with
the Kenyan President of the $1.6 billion health aid package, I
think during those remarks he said rather than enriching NGO's
in Northern Virginia, the intention now is to ensure that those
governments can scale up their own capacity.
Senator Booker. No, I appreciate that. I recognize that.
Let me, with the seconds I have left, Ms. Nardi, in your
written testimony you mentioned that INL is providing direct
maritime law enforcement training and building partnerships in
the region. Even when I was a mayor, the Federal Government, we
put Newark police officers with lots of Federal agents. It was
just a great partnership, mentoring, and I would love to see
that on the international level. It is a force multiplier in
many ways, and I am grateful that this is a tradition in our
country.
But I am concerned about the cuts here, as well. The Trump
administration wants to cut funding, according to their budget,
for programs like this by 80 to 90 percent. For example, the
Fiscal Year 2026 budget included drastic cuts to INL program
funding, proposing a cut of $1.16 billion to the International
Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Program's account,
leaving only $125 million remaining. Congress rejected this
proposal in the current CR, but I am concerned about your
ability, the agency's ability, to continue these mentoring
programs that are doing such vital work, as you have testified
to.
Will dramatic cuts of 80, 90 percent really undermine our
effectiveness in this kind of interdiction, and work in
general, but also the mentoring that gives that force a
multiplier effect?
Ms. Nardi. Thank you, Senator, for the question and also
for your support for this kind of programming, and we are
already seeing very good results with it, particularly in the
counternarcotics area, so thank you for that.
The approach that we have in Africa is regional, for the
most part, because if China or a TCO finds a vulnerability in
one country they will go there. But if those countries are
shored up, then they just move on to the next one and the next
one. Part of the problem that we have seen is the countries,
one, within the country itself are stove-piped and do not talk
to each other, but they do not talk to their neighboring
countries as well.
So, the majority of our programs are regional in nature. On
West Africa we have WARSI, the West Africa Regional Security
Initiative, and on the east, EATOC, which is East Africa
Transnational Organized Crime. I say this because that includes
12 different countries that go all the way down the coast,
focusing on maritime security. And what we did was create, with
these countries, two Centers of Excellence, one in Djibouti and
one in the Seychelles, to do training on vessel boarding and on
investigations and on exchange of information.
We have also gotten these countries to work together with a
Regional Maritime Intel Fusion Center that is in Madagascar,
here again, so that they exchange information. If a ship is
coming down that looks like it is sort of suspicious but it is
in somebody else's waters, you can let them know that it is
coming and hopefully they take action.
The fact that we do these things regionally means we are
not investing a lot of money in each of these places.
Senator Booker. I agree. I am way over time, and I am
treading on the indulgences of my friend. But I will just say
that American leadership, the leadership of the American Coast
Guard and military--and I have been on the continent and I have
seen the greatness of our country in practice, and you are
describing that to us. I am just worried about its ability to
sustain those levels or, in fact, increase them as the
challenges grow greater. And again, this body has, in a
bipartisan fashion, supported the resources. I would hate to
see them cut in the way that the proposed budget is. The
consequences of that, for not just the regional security you
are describing but for American interests would be dramatic. So
thank you, and thank you for your indulgence, sir.
Senator Cruz. Thank you. I am going to do a couple more
questions, and then we will give Senator Booker an opportunity
if he has any additional questions, as well.
Ms. Nardi, Somaliland is a critical U.S. maritime security
partner in Africa. It sits along the Gulf of Aden near one of
the world's busiest shipping corridors, and its forces actively
contribute to counterterrorism and anti-piracy missions.
Somaliland stands with our allies, including Taiwan and Israel,
and aligns with U.S. interests in a region where China is
aggressively expanding. Somaliland has offered the United
States a military basing agreement and a critical minerals
partnership. They are willing to work with us to counter
China's malign influence and terrorist networks. This is the
kind of partner we should be encouraging and one that will
shape how we confront maritime security challenges across the
continent.
Earlier this year, I sent a letter to President Trump,
urging formal recognition of Somaliland. Unsurprisingly, the
Chinese Communist Party immediately condemned that letter,
which only underscores how strategically important Somaliland
is to U.S. national security.
What tools and partnerships could the Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement employ to help the
United States deepen cooperation with Somaliland, to advance
our common maritime security and law enforcement interests,
especially against threats facing the Horn of Africa?
Ms. Nardi. Thank you, Senator, for that question. INL does
not currently have any active programming in Somaliland, and
our focus in the Horn of Africa is, in general, maritime
security. I mentioned the Center of Excellence that we are
working with Djibouti to establish, which will cover that
region and then a little bit further south. We have worked with
Somalia in the past and Djibouti on maritime vessel boarding
and investigations, but those programs are coming to an end.
We certainly can review capabilities. We would begin any
program with an assessment of needs. And we would work in close
cooperation with the Africa Bureau and the State Department to
determine their priorities for Somaliland. Thank you.
Senator Cruz. Thank you. Mr. Sylvester, Senator Booked
asked about undersea cables. Undersea cables are the arteries
of the modern global economy, Africa's link to the world
through 77 cable networks, that power its digital markets,
support millions of jobs, and drive trade and innovation. But
these cables are exposed to vulnerability. Just last year,
cable cuts left parts of Nigeria offline, at a cost of nearly
$600 million in just 4 days. Repairs run into the millions, and
outages ripple far beyond borders. Even worse, there are less
than 100 cable repair ships across the world, of which only 3
of those service Africa, and only 1 is homeported in Africa.
Our adversaries understand that if you can control or
disrupt digital infrastructure you can hold economies hostage.
That is why maritime security is not just about protecting
freedom of navigation and open commerce, but also about
protecting the cables beneath the sea floor that nations depend
on. Strong, secure, and open digital links mean stronger trade
ties, resilient supply chains, and a continent less vulnerable
to Beijing's chokehold.
Mr. Sylvester, what roles should U.S. maritime cooperation
play in helping African nations diversify cable routes, protect
high-risk, shallow water zones, and improve rapid response
capabilities, especially considering that only one cable repair
ship is homeported on the entire African coast?
Mr. Sylvester. Thank you, Senator, for that question, and
again for highlighting this important issue. I would go back to
the importance of building a resilient undersea cable system
globally, which includes, of course, around the continent of
Africa. So when we see these cable cuts: For example, there was
an incident in the Red Sea following a Houthi attack, where 25
percent of the transcontinental data traffic was stalled, so in
addition to the examples that you mentioned. So the resilience
really is key there.
The second is we do have a leading company here in the
United States, and we, as the State Department, are focused on
promoting those U.S. companies as viable and trusted vendors
across Africa. So while there are a limited number of these
ships, the U.S. does have a good alternative to offer in the
commercial space.
And the third is again educating the host countries that
either have landings or want to put the investment in to have
those cable landings. So on that front, we need to ensure that
they know the data security risks and the malign influence that
they would be exposed to if there were to go with an untrusted
vendor.
Senator Cruz. Thank you.
Senator Van Hollen.
Senator Booker. And I am going to ask the Senator to
indulge me. I have to run. If you could take over checking the
great Senator from Texas to make sure he does not talk about me
or Stanford football when I leave.
Senator Van Hollen. I will do that, Senator.
Senator Booker. Thank you very much.
Senator Van Hollen. Do they have a football team?
Senator Booker. Let the record show that I have asked the
Senate leadership to Rule 19 you for that personal insult.
Senator Van Hollen. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I
thank all of you for your testimony. I do want to pick up on a
point I heard the ranking member make earlier, and I think some
of my colleagues, with respect to President Trump's despicable
statements about the Somali community here in the United
States. And it is just the latest attack on a minority
community in our country.
You know, if you look at the U.S. Senate, above the dais it
says ``E pluribus unum,'' out of many, one. And what Donald
Trump is doing is just the opposite. And it is despicable here
at home, and he has also maligned the countries of origin of so
many of our communities here in the United States. So I have to
say, as we talk about Africa, it is difficult to do so without
noting our extreme disappointment in the President of the
United States.
I want to talk about a particular country in Africa the
President continues to malign, and that is South Africa. Mr.
Sylvester, South Africa is one of the African continent's
biggest economies, right? I think it is in the top three. Is
that right?
Mr. Sylvester. Yes, sir.
Senator Van Hollen. And it does play an important role in
maritime security in the southern Africa region. Is that right?
Mr. Sylvester. Yes.
Senator Van Hollen. I mean, it, of course, sits astride the
Cape Sea route, and my understanding is it also plays an
important role in policing and anti-piracy efforts in the
Mozambique Channel. Is that right?
Mr. Sylvester. I would defer to my colleague on the law
enforcement side, but my understanding is that it is an
important maritime nation, in general.
Senator Van Hollen. Right. So an important country in
Africa, both from an economic point of view, from a political
point of view, from a maritime security point of view. And yet
the Trump administration has decided to target South Africa. We
know that despite the fact that it is a G-20 member, the
President says they cannot come to the G-20 meeting in the
United States. We know the United States decided not to go to
South Africa for the G-20 meeting that was hosted by South
Africa. We have heard the President make up this completely
false accusation that South Africa is engaged in a genocide.
And, of course, when it comes to our immigration policies, our
refugee policies, the Administration has put a worldwide cap of
about 7,500 on it overall, and the great majority would be
white South Afrikaners.
So I ask you, Mr. Sylvester, what is South Africa doing to
warrant these kinds of unfounded attacks?
Mr. Sylvester. So, Senator, my understanding of the scope
of the hearing is on maritime security. I am not sure I am
equipped to address the question as you have asked it. What I
would say with respect to South Africa is that President Trump
has shown willingness to work with any country to advance
American interests, and our embassies on the ground are still
pursuing commercial opportunities for U.S. companies across the
continent.
Senator Van Hollen. Well, it does not sound to me like the
President is really interested in engaging South Africa, even
to advance our own interests. If that were the case, he would
not set about attacking them without reason. You know, I am
asking you because you are one of the political appointees at
the State Department, and all we have seen is this series of
attacks on South Africa. And, you know, the South African
Government has options. I mean, they can partner with others
around the world. Obviously, they have relationships with
Russia, they have relationships with China, they are part of
BRIC. But why in the world would we gratuitously attack them,
based on what appears to be this trumped-up allegation that
they are engaged in a genocide against white South Africans.
That is not true, is it, that they are engaged in a genocide?
Mr. Sylvester. So, Senator, I am not familiar with the
issue that you are raising. I have not been tracking that
closely. Again, while I am a political appointee at the State
Department I cover transportation issues, so aviation and
maritime. I would be happy to address any questions you have on
those issues in particular.
Senator Van Hollen. No, I appreciate that. I just think,
and I think others here recognize that when you are dealing
with a country like South Africa, the third-biggest economy on
the continent, where we do have shared interests, it does not
really help our cause to advance those interests if we are
gratuitously attacking this particular country. And it just is
a mystery to me how the President sort of got trapped in this
story that he keeps telling himself about South Africa. I hope,
although realistically it may not be a realistic hope, that the
Administration will change course and seek cooperation in areas
of mutual interest.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Cruz. Thank you. I want to thank all the witnesses
for their important testimony today. Senators will have until
the close of business on Thursday, December 11th, to submit
questions for the record.
This concludes today's hearing. The committee stands
adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:45 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted
to Marco M. Sylvester by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Question. How are we planning to utilize U.S. investment tools like
USTDA, MCC and DFC to create port investment opportunities for U.S.
companies and counter China's investments in African ports?
Answer. The State Department recognizes that strategic investments
in African ports are vital for U.S. commercial interests and national
security. We are leveraging targeted commercial diplomacy, interagency
coordination, and the resources available from DFC, EXIM, USTDA, and
MCC to identify and de-risk commercial opportunities for U.S.
companies, support high-standard, transparent, and resilient
infrastructure projects aligned with U.S. interests, and counter the
influence of non-market actors.
The DFC is backing the Lobito Corridor with a $553 million loan for
rail restoration and expansion in Angola and a letter of interest for
an up to $1 billion loan for rail rehabilitation and operation in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. This project will facilitate efficient
critical mineral transport, reduce non-market actors' dominance of
African supply chains, and open U.S. commercial opportunities. MCC is
pursuing compact development in Liberia with a prospective focus on
energy or transport to strengthen mineral extraction infrastructure,
and USTDA is planning reverse trade missions to connect African port
authorities and government officials with U.S. providers of secure,
modern, and efficient port solutions.
__________
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted
to Margaret H. Nardi by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Question. How many people have been prosecuted, and from where,
under since the start of the Trump Administration in January 2025?
Answer. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is the appropriate agency
to address questions related to U.S. prosecutions, and as such, I would
refer you to DOJ. To the extent that this question is aimed at
prosecutions by our foreign partners of maritime crimes in Africa, INL
does not maintain records of domestic court activity across the
continent, but our general understanding is that, while facing
significant capacity constraints, our partners take these crimes
seriously and such cases often take several years to build, try, and
arrive at decisions.
Question. Can you detail the importance of law enforcement
mentorship and good governance programs in strengthening African
countries' ability to secure their territorial waters?
Answer. Law enforcement mentorship and programs that strengthen the
ability of African countries to secure their territorial waters and
maintain sovereignty over precious resources advance the 2025 National
Security Strategy goal to harness Africa's abundant natural resources,
develop its latent economic potential, and foster mutually beneficial
trade relationships between capable, reliable states and the United
States. Mentorship provides practical expertise to respond to threats
such as piracy and trafficking. Good governance builds public trust and
ensures effective, legitimate maritime security operations.
Question. Have any international U.S. law enforcement mentorship
programs with African countries implemented by your bureau been
terminated in the recent Foreign Assistance Review?
Answer. The Department conducted a thorough assessment of its
foreign assistance programs to focus resources on initiatives that
directly support U.S. national security objectives and keep America
safe. INL continues to support mentorship and other programs with
African partners to reduce illicit narcotics trafficking, counter IUUF
and maritime crime, improve maritime and port security, and counter
cybercrime.
Question. Can you provide this committee with a detailed list of
active and terminated programs from your bureau pertaining to the
Africa region?
Answer. The Department is focusing resources on initiatives that
directly support U.S. national security objectives and keep America
safe while prioritizing funding for the most effective programs. INL
obligated $41.4 million in FY 2024 funding for Africa, which will
support African law enforcement to partner with U.S. law enforcement to
investigate and prosecute transnational criminal organizations and
networks, counter illicit trafficking, including of synthetic drugs and
precursor chemicals, strengthen border and port security, and reduce
cybercrime that targets Americans.
Question. With the recent coup in Guinea-Bissau, what is INL's
assessment of the impact this will have on the flow of narcotics into
Guinea-Bissau and transmitted throughout West Africa?
Answer. The State Department is closely following developments in
Guinea-Bissau and continuing to monitor the situation on the ground.
Political instability undermines law enforcement and governance, making
it easier for traffickers to move drugs, especially cocaine, through
Guinea-Bissau, as a transit point for narcotics in West Africa. We will
work with our colleagues in the Bureau of African Affairs and U.S. law
enforcement partners to gauge and minimize any impact on bilateral and
regional cooperation to counter drug trafficking.
Question. Liberia and Sierra Leone are currently experiencing an
inflow of synthetic drugs that are impacting the youth population in
both countries. Where does INL assess these synthetic drugs are coming
from, and how is the bureau working to address this issue?
Answer. Synthetic drugs like kush and tramadol are seriously
affecting youth in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Tramadol and the
precursors used to make kush and are primarily trafficked from Asia,
especially China and India, through West African ports and cross-border
networks. INL partners with West African law enforcement and criminal
justice officials to strengthen interdiction, investigation, and
information sharing. Bilateral and regional cooperation includes
training through INL's International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in
Gaborone, Botswana.
__________
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted
to Margaret H. Nardi by Senator Brian Schatz
Question. U.S. efforts to combat environmental crimes and reduce
the flow of illegally harvested fish, timber, and wildlife entering
global supply chains help prevent Lacey Act violations and reduce
funding streams for transnational criminal organizations. What is the
total level of funding obligated, by account and program, across the
State Department to counter illicit wildlife trafficking in each fiscal
year 2023 through 2025?
Answer. For INL specifically, we have obligated approximately $50.2
million in FY 2023 INCLE funds and $32.5 million in FY 2024 INCLE funds
for programs that combat wildlife trafficking (CWT). INL has not yet
obligated FY 2025 INCLE funds for CWT.
Question. U.S. efforts to combat environmental crimes and reduce
the flow of illegally harvested fish, timber, and wildlife entering
global supply chains helps prevent Lacey Act violations and reduce
funding streams for transnational criminal organizations. How many
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) staff are responsible
for international efforts to counter illicit wildlife trafficking as of
December 2025 compared to December 2024?
Answer. INL program officers are hired as general program
management experts to allow management of any type of INL program.
While INL has fewer staff as a result of the Department's
reorganization, staffing remains sufficient to provide proper program
design and oversight, both domestically and overseas, of programs to
combat foreign wildlife trafficking.
Question. Describe the State Department's engagement with U.S. and
foreign law enforcement agencies to share resources and intelligence
toward more efficient enforcement--particularly in regard to smuggling
and trafficking.
Answer. INL supports cross border law enforcement and joint
training efforts that improve the ability of partner governments to
share resources and intelligence with each other and with U.S. law
enforcement. INL partners with U.S. law enforcement agencies to support
trusted units and provide training that improves information sharing,
case coordination, and operational collaboration to disrupt smuggling
and trafficking networks with a U.S. nexus.
Question. What is the State Department's assessment of the lessons
learned from U.S. partnerships with African maritime law enforcement
entities, and how can such insights be applied to the Pacific context?
Answer. The State Department assesses that African maritime
partnerships have been most effective when they are partner-led and
aligned with African regional frameworks to foster interoperability,
information sharing, and regional cooperation. Applying these lessons
in the Pacific, INL will continue to support the Declaration of
Partnership between the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, Pacific
Islands Chiefs of Police, Oceania Customs Organization, and Pacific
Immigration Development Community by convening Secretariats regularly
to enhance Pacific cooperation on maritime domain awareness and law
enforcement.
Question. The Africa Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership,
including efforts such as Operation Junction Rain, sought to build
partner nation's capacity to address maritime threats. What is the
total level of funding obligated, by account and program, across the
State Department to support maritime security objectives in each fiscal
year 2023 through 2025?
Answer. INL works with partners to enhance law enforcement
cooperation and improve port and border security. INL does not
separately track maritime specific activities, as these are funded
within the broader category of law enforcement support provided to our
partners.
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted
to Ruth L. Perry by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
Question. Several IUU fishing programming has either been paused or
terminated due to the foreign assistance review. What USAID and State
Department programs involving fish conservation and IUU fishing in
Africa have been terminated, and which ones are still ongoing?
Answer. Combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing remains a priority for the Department. Certain USAID programs
transitioned to the State Department, and we are still determining how
these and any potential future contributions are in line with the
President's April Executive Order to promote and protect the U.S.
fishing industry from IUU fishing. The Department remains adequately
staffed and resourced to support IUU programs and to provide technical
assistance and training to cooperative African nations that in turn
advances and advocates for the national security interests of our
American fishing industry.
Exclusive Economic Zones
Question. How is the State Department working with our African
partners to strengthen their ability to monitor and surveil foreign
vessels in their Exclusive Economic Zones and distant waters?
Answer. To enhance government-led counter-IUU fishing programming,
the Department of State is leveraging the knowledge, know-how, and
capabilities of U.S. companies to increase the capacity of our African
partners to monitor and police fishing vessels in their EEZs. One
example of this is the adoption of the U.S.-made SmartMast monitoring
system in West Africa, which has boosted countries' maritime domain
awareness and created a foundation for increased regional cooperation.
__________
Responses to Additional Questions for the Record Submitted
to Ruth L. Perry by Senator Brian Schatz
Question. Combatting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU)
fishing, including via diplomatic outreach and programmatic efforts, is
important to protecting U.S. commercial fishing and national security
interests, including countering potential security inroads by the
People's Republic of China (PRC). What is the total level of funding
obligated, by account and program, across the State Department to
counter IUU fishing in each fiscal year 2023 through 2025?
Answer. The Department of State recognizes the importance of
addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and is
still determining any potential contributions toward IUU fishing
efforts as part of ongoing budget and program planning. At this time,
the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific
Affairs (OES) has not obligated any funds for counter-IUU fishing
programs during FY 2023-2025. We remain committed to supporting U.S.
interests through diplomatic engagement and interagency coordination.
Question. How many OES staff are responsible for international
efforts to counter illicit wildlife trafficking as of December 2025
compared to December 2024?
Answer. OES recognizes the high importance of countering the
illegal trade in wildlife, which generates billions of dollars every
year for criminal enterprises that also often traffic in drugs and
other illegal products. Combating wildlife trafficking contributes to
tackling transnational organized crime while leveling the playing field
for law-abiding American businesses. OES continues to work to meet
Congressional priorities under the END Wildlife Trafficking Act, and
the Department of State reorganization has preserved core functions and
priorities, including our work to counter illegal trade and protect the
interests and security of our American businesses.
__________
[all]