Ann Griffiths, 30 October 2020.
There’s an interesting article published by the Lowy Institute that looks at the growing threat of “insurgency, radicalism and major power competition in the Western Indian Ocean.” And it looks at these matters from the perspective of South Africa. There’s an unfortunate confluence of forces at work in the Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Africa. There is a new great power naval rivalry involving India, China and the United States, plus a greater number of non-state maritime threats. Piracy continues, weapon and drug smuggling is increasing [the ‘Smack Track’ of drugs from Pakistan into Africa], Islamic fundamentalists have attacked or threatened ships, harbours, coastal resorts and offshore energy infrastructure, and there are continuing conflicts on land that could spill into the maritime arena…
The article is worth reading. “Western Indian Ocean: Where trouble on land spells danger at sea,” https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/western-indian-ocean-where-trouble-land-spells-danger-sea
One thought on “Growing Concerns on Indian Ocean”
A very interesting article. Perhaps what is needed now is more NATO involvement. Perhaps “Standing Up” some sort of limited NATO squadron of allied ships to exercise (patrol) off the South African coasts and assist South Africa in combating the piracy and drug trade in both the Indian Ocean and Western Atlantic regions? Could Canada be a part of this effort? Perhaps, but how would that affect our other NATO commitments at sea?