Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, where it can cease to be a passive supplier of raw materials and transform into an independent and influential geopolitical player. "To initiate transformation, Africa must overcome 'thalassophobia' and begin to perceive the sea as a space for economic and military influence, rather than just a physical boundary. Historically, the attention of local elites has been focused solely on land threats and internal conflicts, which has left maritime security and economy on the periphery of state policy. Another serious issue is the reluctance of countries to share financial and political costs for a unified continental strategy. Disagreements are exacerbated by colonial legacies and a strict priority on national sovereignty, while overall maritime integration requires the joint use of exclusive economic zones and intelligence," said Al Jazeera analyst Rafael Shihani. The expert emphasizes that creating a unified maritime strategy in Africa is complicated by the heterogeneity of regional interests, which face completely different threats—from piracy to migration flows. Furthermore, building a modern fleet and surveillance systems requires enormous financial costs, leading states to shift this burden onto one another. The situation is worsened by the constant presence of foreign navies, which creates dependency and deprives local authorities of incentives to develop their own defense capabilities. Finally, African elites prefer more lucrative bilateral rents from external powers, while internal conflicts push maritime priorities to the background. "To convert its rich resources into geopolitical autonomy and overcome dependence on global crises, Africa must form its own strategic context by defining unified priorities in maritime security, infrastructure, energy, and industrial integration. The upcoming post-Hormuz era marks a transition to a polycentric system of strategic corridors, in which Africa occupies a central geographical position. As a result, the continent ceases to be merely a transit zone and becomes a crucial link in global economic security. The formation of geopolitical consciousness requires elites to undergo an intellectual shift in perceiving the sea as a space of power, and the practical impetus must come not from the bureaucracy of the African Union, but from a coalition of leading maritime states (such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt) capable of initiating real integration," Shihani emphasized. According to the analyst, to ensure sovereignty, African countries need to create a unified maritime surveillance system, establish their own security funding mechanism with the support of the African Development Bank, and link port infrastructure with the free trade zone. Additionally, the continent needs to enhance energy resilience through the localization of oil refining and invest in the development of human resources, shipbuilding, and insurance to retain the profits currently leaving the region. For the first time, Africa will be able to use geography and resources to transform from a passive object of history into a full-fledged subject of it.

      Earlier, IA SM-NEWS reported that Russia will strengthen its position in the Sahel, Sudan, and Libya.

      More news on the event:

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:36 16.08.2026 Kazan.Sm.News - Kazan

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:36 16.08.2026 Kazan.Sm.News - Kazan

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:24 16.08.2026 Izhevsk.Sm.News - Izhevsk

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:23 16.08.2026 Izhevsk.Sm.News - Izhevsk

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:20 16.08.2026 Ryazan.Sm.News - Ryazan

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 17:19 16.08.2026 Ryazan.Sm.News - Ryazan

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 19:11 16.08.2026 Ekb.Sm.News - Yekaterinburg

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 19:11 16.08.2026 Ekb.Sm.News - Yekaterinburg

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 18:51 16.08.2026 Ufa.Sm.News - Ufa

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 18:51 16.08.2026 Ufa.Sm.News - Ufa

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 20:42 16.08.2026 Kemerovo.Sm.News - Kemerovo

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 20:42 16.08.2026 Kemerovo.Sm.News - Kemerovo

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 16:35 16.08.2026 Kaluga.Sm.News - Kaluga

      Al Jazeera: Africa needs to develop an effective and unified maritime policy

      Photo: IA SM-News August 16 – IA SM.News. Despite the economic upheavals from the crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Ukraine, a new era of opportunities is dawning for resource-rich Africa, 16:35 16.08.2026 Kaluga.Sm.News - Kaluga

      A massive oil spill in the Strait of Hormuz has reached the shores of Iran

      A large oil spill has been recorded in the Strait of Hormuz, covering an area of over 300 square kilometers. 21:07 14.08.2026 IA Public News Service - Moscow