[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16768-16769]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 288--SUPPORTING ENHANCED MARITIME SECURITY IN THE 
GULF OF GUINEA AND ENCOURAGING INCREASED COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED 
STATES AND WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO FIGHT ARMED ROBBERY AT 
                SEA, PIRACY, AND OTHER MARITIME THREATS

  Mr. FLAKE (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 288

       Whereas, although the number of armed robbery at sea and 
     piracy attacks worldwide dropped substantially in recent 
     years, such acts in the Gulf of Guinea are increasing, with 
     more than 40 reported through October 2013 and many more 
     going unreported;
       Whereas the United States imported more than 315,000,000 
     barrels of oil through the region in 2012, and United States 
     businesses have extensive fixed assets in the region that are 
     important to United States energy security;
       Whereas the nature of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea 
     demonstrates an ongoing pattern of cargo thefts and robbery, 
     often occurring in the territorial waters of West and Central 
     African states;
       Whereas there are countries in West and Central Africa that 
     are susceptible to acts of armed robbery at sea and piracy 
     that lack adequate law enforcement and naval capabilities to 
     stop or deter such attacks;
       Whereas acts of maritime crime raise the costs and risks of 
     trade and commerce in Africa and beyond because the security 
     of vessels, crews, and cargoes cannot be guaranteed;
       Whereas shipping insurance premiums increase after such 
     attacks, and in so doing, create disincentives for local, 
     regional, and international investors and companies seeking 
     to do business in the region;
       Whereas imports provide indispensable goods and services 
     for the people of West and Central Africa, generate port fees 
     and customs duties for their governments, and are essential 
     in spurring economic growth and development in the region;
       Whereas the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa issued 
     by President Barack Obama in June 2012 states, ``It is in the 
     interest of the United States to improve the region's trade 
     competitiveness, encourage the diversification of exports 
     beyond natural resources, and ensure that the benefits from 
     growth are broad-based.'';
       Whereas a vibrant trade relationship between Africa and its 
     partners, including the United States, can lead to expanded 
     economic opportunities that can spur competition, raise 
     productivity, and facilitate job creation in the economies of 
     all participating countries;
       Whereas the African Union, in collaboration with numerous 
     official and nongovernmental stakeholders, developed the 
     ``2050 Africa's Integrated Maritime Security'' strategy (the 
     2050 AIM STRATEGY) which seeks ``to address contending, 
     emerging and future maritime challenges and opportunities in 
     Africa...with a clear focus on enhanced wealth creation from 
     a sustainable governance of Africa's oceans and seas'';

[[Page 16769]]

       Whereas the African Union's 2050 AIM STRATEGY seeks to 
     combat ``diverse illegal activities which include...arms and 
     drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, piracy, 
     and armed robbery at sea'', among other objectives;
       Whereas the June 24-25, 2013, meeting of the Gulf of Guinea 
     Maritime Security Heads of State Summit held in Cameroon 
     marked the culmination of a United States Government-
     supported Economic Communities of Central African States 
     (ECCAS) and Economic Community of West African States 
     (ECOWAS)-led initiative and process that produced an approved 
     ECOWAS-ECCAS Memorandum of Understanding for regional 
     cooperation, and adopted a Gulf of Guinea Code of Conduct to 
     address maritime crime and a Heads of State Political 
     Declaration;
       Whereas ECOWAS and ECCAS states are working to cooperate 
     and build their joint capacities in order to increase 
     maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and are working to 
     achieve this goal with such partners as the United Nations 
     Offices for West and Central Africa, the Gulf of Guinea 
     Commission, the International Maritime Organization, the 
     Maritime Organization for West and Central Africa, and the 
     African Union;
       Whereas the United States Government in the Gulf of Guinea 
     has focused on encouraging multi-layered regional and 
     national ownership in developing sustainable capacity 
     building efforts, including working with partners through the 
     G8++ Friends of Gulf of Guinea Group, to coordinate United 
     States Government maritime security activities in the region;
       Whereas the United States Government has assisted the 
     countries of West and Central Africa to enhance regional 
     maritime security through programs such as the ``African 
     Partnership Station'', operated by United States Naval Forces 
     Africa ``to build maritime safety and security by increasing 
     maritime awareness, response capabilities and 
     infrastructure'', and the ``African Maritime Law Enforcement 
     Partnership'', which ``enables African partner nations to 
     build maritime security capacity and improve management of 
     their maritime environment through real world law enforcement 
     operations, and through provision of diverse types of 
     training and equipment assistance and participation in 
     diverse regional maritime military exercises'', as well as by 
     employing analytical tools such as the Maritime Security 
     Sector Reform Guide; and
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2039, 
     ``expressing its deep concern about the threat that piracy 
     and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea pose to 
     international navigation, security and the economic 
     development of states in the region'', was unanimously 
     adopted on February 29, 2012: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns acts of armed robbery at sea, piracy, and 
     other maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea;
       (2) endorses and supports the efforts made by United States 
     Government agencies to assist affected West and Central 
     African countries to build capacity to combat armed robbery 
     at sea, piracy, and other maritime threats, and encourages 
     the President to continue such assistance, as appropriate, 
     within resource constraints; and
       (3) commends the African Union, subregional entities such 
     as the ECOWAS and ECCAS, and the various international 
     agencies that have worked to develop policy and program 
     frameworks for enhancing maritime security in West and 
     Central Africa, and encourages these entities and their 
     member states to continue to build upon these and other 
     efforts to achieve that end.

                          ____________________