Presentation on the Riverine and Great Lakes dimension of \'Maritime Domain Awareness\' with focus on the DRC

1. Small coastline – Major Rivers – Great Lakes
 Major ‘Comprehensive’ Effort 
Linking MDA to Security Sector Reform in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Colonel Marco Hekkens RNLMC
SMi Conference Maritime Domain Awareness London 20-21 June 2011

2. Agenda
• Introduction & Scene Setting
• Friction between Ambition and Reality
• Internal and External Actors – Common
Vision?
• Avoiding Seams – Possible (EU) future
work strands in the DR Congo?
• „Request for Assistance‟

3. Introduction & Scene Setting
• EUSEC DR Congo
• Orientation DRC
• Risks or Threats?
• Project FUEL-L
• „African Maritime Strategy‟

4. Introduction – Background
• Colonel RNLMC
• Last: Deputy COM NLMARFOR / CLF
• Current: „Chief Logistics‟ – Adviser to the
Congolese Armed Forces at CHOD and
Service level
• Retirement ≈ late Spring 2012
• Study and research: “Project Future Urban
Extreme Littoral – Land”

5. Introduction –
EUSEC RD Congo
• Support mission in the field of Security
Sector Reform
• Provide advice and assistance for the
reform of the Congolese Armed Forces
(FARDC).
• Focus on restructuring and reconstructing
• HQ in Kinshasa; 3 detachments in Eastern
DRC (total approx. 50pax)

6. Introduction – Project FUEL-L
1950 2015
(Artwork by permission FT)

7. Bangladesh – Port of Dhaka
Rivier Buriganga with skyline of Dhaka; >500.000
fortune seekers per year, fastest growing city in the world

8. Littoral Engagement,
Influence & Assistance Zones ©
New
area
added
Lezing EBN/EVDB-Commissie &
8
Eurodefense 15 okt
“External Security = Internal Security”

9. Littoral Engagement, Influence,
Assistance & Development Zones ©
A stepping stone towards an African Strategy for
Maritime development
Lezing EBN/EVDB-Commissie &
(which does include the riverine and Great Lakes environment)
Eurodefense 15 okt
9

10. Introduction – Orientation DRC

11. Introduction – Orientation DRC
DRC – 2.345.000 km² „Water borders‟ – 9000kms
Navigationable rivers – 7838kms (2nd) 3rd largest African Nation –
Population ± 70 Million 9 Neighbouring Nations

12. Vision: Deep water Port Area

13. SEZ location
5 3
3 priority
7
1
2 6
4

14. Vision: Special Economic Zone
Precursor…. Littoral Engagement, Influence,
Assistance (and Development) Zone Concept?
No lack of „green energy‟
Cabinda Enclave
(Angola)
Matadi
Boma
Angola
But…….Will the people
in the „Bas Congo‟ province
accept Congolese people
from the other regions?
What about border
incursions from the Cabinda
Enclave?

15. Introduction – Orientation DRC
Inga Falls, hydro electric projects

16. Impressions – 1
Angola DRC
(Cabinda
Enclave)
“Livingstone Falls”
Waterfalls and rapids between
Port of Matadi and Kinshasa Angola

17. Impressions – 2

18. Introduction – Risks (1)

19. “External Security ≠ Internal Security”

20. Introduction – Risks (2)
• Armed Factions operating inside DRC using lakes
and waterways (cross-border operations)
– Lord‟s Resistance Army?
– FLDR?; FPLC?; other?
• AQIM – Dormant threat? (when/will they „turn up‟?)
• „Regional developments‟ after separation Southern
Sudan?
Cargo Manifest?

21. Risk – Weapon smuggling
floating
 Current
tree branch
In recent past, floating brushwood was
checked for contraband, especially in
areas of (heightened) tension

22. Risk – Ammunition Dumping
• Probable?
• Likely?
• No records available at UN (MONUSCO)
• No records available at CICOS*
• Little information from DRC‟s Force Navale
– Deliberate and accidental dumping in Mbandaka
• Ammo barge on sandbank Obangui river
– During shallow water levels, dumped ordnance visible
* Commission Internationale du Bassin Congo – Obangui –
Sangha

23. MINES ADVISORY GROUP
South Equateur
Province
Mbandaka

24. Introduction – Other ‘Risks’
• Lack of and/or defunct infrastructures:
– Port facilities, connecting
rail and road hubs
• Environmental degradation
Donor dependency
- Brain Drain
- „The Elite‟ Kisangani
Hydrographic Vessel
- „Quiet Leadership‟
- Small private –
„middle class‟ – sector
- Few incentives

25. Introduction – Other ‘Risks’
Centre régional d’études nucléaires de Kinshasa (CREN-K)
„Il n‟est pas possible sans autorisation ministérielle d‟approcher
ou de photographier le réacteur. On peut cependant, en collant
son nez à la vitre fumée, l‟apercevoir, depuis le hall d‟entrée,
juste derrière une seconde porte vitrée. Ici, pas de
reconnaissance digitale ou biométrique.
Pour ouvrir, il suffit d‟une clé‟
Source: www.jeuneafrique.com

26. Introduction – Other ‘Threat’
When will Nyiragongo erupt again?
Evacuation, Aid and Assistance
via Lake Kivu – what capability?
….empty Naval Base in Goma…..

27. Future Security Effects
by Regional ‘Water stress’?
• DRC role, located on the
fringe of Nile-Basin?
 DRC does not pose a
threat to „down stream‟
users
• Lake Edward, Lake Albert
are part of the Nile system
– Semliki river feeds both
lakes
– Major „projects‟ unlikely to
affect supply of water „down
stream‟ towards the Nile
• DRC export: provider of water!

28. Friction between
Ambition and Reality
• Engagement in Africa
• Initiatives and programmes in the DRC
• “Challenges”
Baleinière
(typical wooden barge)

29. Friction between
Ambition and Reality
Engagement in Africa:
• UN – MONUSCO Riverine Force
– Uruguayan Riverine Patrol Company (URPAC)
– ± 50% Force Reduction of „Riverine Capability‟
MONUSCO : 17120
URPAC: 180
URPAC after 2011 100
1‰

31. Support Search and Rescue

33. Friction between Ambition and Reality
Maritime, Riverine and Lake Domain Awareness
Initiatives and programmes and the DRC
• ECCAS Maritime Safety and Security Strategy
• Cooperation between IMO – MOWCA
– MoU (July 2008); DRC is Signatory
• AFRICOM – African Partnership Station
– USCG Port Security Workshop (Sep/Oct 2009)
• African Maritime Safety and Security Agency
(AMSSA) project
• CICOS Commission Internationale du Bassin
Congo-Obangui-Sangha
• How concrete and „persistent‟? Or disconnected?

34. African Union Efforts
• African Union Maritime Transport Charter
• Maritime Transport Plan of Action
– Institutional and legal measures
– Capacity building
– Strengthening of maritime safety and security
– Enhancement of port performance
– Strengthening of inter-African and international
cooperation
– Facilitation and financing of maritime transport and
ports
– Promotion of the development of maritime transport
equipment
Source: CDR M.L. Baker - RWC Review Spring 2011, Vol 64, No.2

35. Friction between
Ambition and Reality
“Challenges”
• Current operational status, capability and
prospect of DRC‟s Force Navale
• Real value of “excess defence material”
procurement or gifts ?

37. Internal and External Actors
Common Vision?
• Natural Resources and Disputes
• Aid and Assistance Schemes
– Who does what, for what purpose?
– Shared sense of urgency, timeline?
– Matching
Needs and Resources

38. Natural Resources and Disputes – 1
Lake Albert – Prohibition of use of dense fishing nets
DRC
Closed Fishing Area
(Reproduction area)
See next slide
Uganda

39. Natural Resources and Disputes – 2
Closed Fishing Area Area which has
become an
Tribal disagreement over ownership of land
important new
frontier in the
search for oil
increasing
tensions between
DRC and Uganda.
Explorers found
light crude on the
border and they
estimates
reserves of up to a
billion barrels.

40. “Two more Game
Wardens have been killed…..”
“Well, that‟s enough now!
Find me the phone numbers of
the rebel leaders!”
“Hallo? Why did you attack the
Game Wardens and soldiers?!”
“……because there are no
more animals left……..”

41. Natural Resources and Disputes – 3
Along Lake Albert
and Lake Edward
Source:
Economist Intelligence Unit
Country Report
Democratic Republic of Congo
March 2011

42. DRC Force
Navale Bases
along Lake
Tanganyika….
…and their capabilities….

43. Natural Resources and Disputes – 4
Graphic from STRATFOR
article 9 Feb 2011
(Risk of Recentralisation in DRC)

44. ‘Aid and Assistance’
• ≈≈ “US – African Contingency Operations
Training and Assistance (ACOTA)” programme
– Not quite „applicable‟?
• ≈≈ “Regional Maritime Capacity Building -
Focused options for possible CSDP* activities”
– Expand „the intent‟ also into the Riverine and Great
Lakes domain of – for instance – the DRC?
CSDP - Common Security and Defence Policy

45. Avoiding Seams – Possible
(EU) future work strands in the DRC?
• EUSEC as “Assistance Broker” for EU
Capabilities
– Catalogue of (national) capabilities
“24/7”
• Enhanced exchange of information with
other non-EU actors
– AFRICOM?
• Specific Economic (Development) Zones

46. ‘Request for Assistance’
• „Bright and Good Ideas‟
• Last minute „Good Ideas‟ to include in
EUSEC Action Plan Mandate 6-2
– Nurture Riverine Domain Awareness
– Revitalize, re-equipment programme Force
Navale
– Linkage to or Special Economic Development
Zones centered on (riverine) nodal points

47. Recommendation
• Comprehensive Civil - Military approach to
enhance awareness
– Use „trusted partners‟ to influence
decision makers
– Engage (Maritime) industry - “business
push”

48. Hopefully not for …….
River and Lake
Cruises in the DRC…

49. Discussion – Q&A
m.hekkens@gmail.com
Project.FUELL@gmail.com

50. Acknowledgements
Specific background detail obtained,
courtesy of:
• MONUSCO Chief Riverine Force
• CICOS (Kinshasa)
• UNMACC (Kinshasa)
• Maersk Kinshasa
• MAG (Kinshasa/Kananga)

51. Western shore Lake Tanganyika 2007

52. Western shore Lake Tanganyika 2007

53. Kalemie, Lake Tanganyika 2007

54. Kalemie, Lake Tanganyika 2007

55. GOMA, Lake Kivu 2007

56. GOMA, 2007

57. GOMA, 2007

59. MBANDAKA, 2010