A pirataria marítima no Golfo da Guiné: uma análise situacional da Nigéria

Abstract

The Gulf of Guinea, an important region of the west coast of Africa, has strategic importance to Brazil. In this region, significant rates of illegal activities such as piracy, armed robbery and other crimes of a transnational nature that compromise maritime safety have been observed. The bordering countries and the international community have shown growing concern over the damage to shipping and international trade, which is in the transnational threats maritime routes, such as piracy, of arms and drugs trafficking. In the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria stands out as the country that holds Africa's biggest economy, possess large reserves of hydrocarbons and is a relevant trading partner of the European Unity and of the United States of America. Nigeria is a major supplier of oil, and currently is the main trading partner of Brazil in Africa. With a population marginalized and insurgent, Nigeria is at the epicenter of maritime insecurity that devastate the Gulf of Guinea. Seeking to protect national interests in the region, the United States, China and some European Union countries - exogenous to the South Atlantic Ocean - have stepped up their presence in Africa through cooperation with African countries. In this context, this work establishes a geopolitical and strategic framework that appropriately scale the complexity of security issues sea in the Gulf of Guinea and the relevance of Nigeria. The author analyzes the threats to maritime safety and the efforts of regional organizations that are integrated by countries of the west coast of Africa, from the perspective of the revision of the African Union of United Maritime Strategy and agreements signed at a summit in Yaoundé. The activities of regional and multinational cooperation and the relationship of the Brazilian Navy with countries of the west coast of Africa are considered, aiming to combat threats to maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea. Finally, it is hoped that this work will contribute to the strengthening of the discussions on the fight against maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and other transnational illegalities originating in Nigeria, since piracy is a relevant phenomenon whose roots and international problems, not just regional ones, because it affects the entire international community