The SWAIMS project, funded by the EU and implemented by the ECOWAS Commission, aims to strengthen maritime security in West Africa. The project provides technical assistance and expertise to help 16 countries implement ECOWAS' maritime strategy through activities like assessing capacities and needs, organizing exercises, establishing training institutions, engaging civil society, and equipping maritime operations centers. The project also studies money laundering from illicit maritime activities and disseminates alerts about maritime safety and security incidents to improve governance, training, engagement, and public-private collaboration around maritime issues in the region.

1. An ECOWAS project funded by the EU (28 million euro),
SWAIMS aims to strengthen maritime security by helping the
ECOWAS Commission implement its maritime strategy.
SWAIMS project covers 16 countries: 15 ECOWAS Member
States and Mauritania.
SUPPORT TO WEST AFRICA
INTEGRATED MARITIME SECURITY

2. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM
 Three (03) key experts: 2 based at the ECOWAS Commission
headquarters in Abuja (including the Team Leader) and 1 based
at the CRESMAO headquarters in Abidjan.
 The key experts work with non-key experts recruited for specific
short-term tasks

3. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(2)
- Assessment of
the capacities and
needs of the
countries
- Organisation of
full-scale exercises
Adoption of an
act to facilitate
the transfer of
pirates
Maritime
Governan-
ce

4. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(2)
Regional
Maritime
University
(RMU) in Accra
Interregional
Maritime
Security/
Safety
Institute
(ISMI) in
Abidjan
Maritime
training

5. Civil Society
engagement
Focus on youth
and women
empowerment
 Regional workshops
 Sub-regional and national
workshops
 Research with CSOs
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(3)

6. Abidjan workshop with youth in artisanal fishing activities, 27 June 2023

7. Nouakchott, Mauritania, 22-23 August 2023

8. Workshop with landlocked countries, Niamey, Niger, 13-14 July 2022

9. 2nd SWAIMS Regional workshop, Saly Portudal, Senegal, 12-14 October 2021

10. Photo of authorities at the CRESMAO open day. From the right to the left: Colonel Assoumou (DGAMP Deputy Director General), Lieutenant-Colonel Dean
ALLEN (USA Defence Attaché), Rear Admiral Albara (CRESMAO Head), Dr Dieng (ECOWAS Regional Security Division Head), Mr. Fofana (Permanent Secretary
of SEPCIM-AEM), Barthelémy Blédé (SWAIMS expert), Mrs. Anne-Catherine CLAUDE (EU Delegation) and Colonel Major Yaké Charles representing the Chief of
General Staff of the armies of Côte d'Ivoire. Source: SWAIMS

11. Liaison with
the private
sector &
Alert bulletin
 CRESMAO alert bulletin to disseminate
information on maritime safety and security
 Training on maritime information
collection, processing and dissemination
 Virtual workshops to take stock of
maritime security incidents
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(4)

12. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(5)
Granting of
equipment
Equipment of maritime operations
centres
Provision of coastal states with
rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs)

13. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS(6)
Money
laundering
Research on the destination
of funds collected in illicit
activities in the maritime
sector (GIABA).

14. CONCLUSION
The SWAIMS project contributes to improving
maritime security in West Africa through various
actions related to maritime governance, training,
the engagement of civil society in the fight and
liaison with the private sector.
We hope that the next EU maritime project for the
Gulf of Guinea will remain in the same format, or
even beyond.

15. Follow SWAIMS on social media
Thanks!!!
By Barthélémy Blédé,
Email: barthblede@yahoo.com
Cel: +2250778192513