Africa has an extensive and strategically located maritime space. This domain is vital for various reasons, including its abundance of economic resources and as a conduit for trade. Unfortunately, the potential of the African maritime space is being undermined by persistent, multifaceted and fluid domestic, regional and international threats and vulnerabilities. To tackle this, littoral African states have entered into various collaborative engagements at international and inter-agency level. The success of these arrangements is in turn greatly hampered by various practical challenges, including mistrust, diversity, ‘silo approach’ and lack of identified common Afro-centric security priorities and protocols. An urgent need for a functional collaborative engagement emerges as vital for a sustainable blue economy in Africa.

More concentration on the soft diplomatic efforts with greater emphasis on people to people connects and carrying out capacity building where people matter should be the focus of the government. Soft diplomacy through regular and assertive visits by top functionaries of the nation namely the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister is the best strategy to enhance relations with African countries.

The distinct feature of radicalisation in Mozambique is that local issues enable the Ansar ul Sunna to conduct its nefarious activities. So rather than take a hard approach, it would serve the Government well to address the growing local concerns of unemployment, social exclusion and underdevelopment in order to curb the influence of Islamic extremism in Mozambique.

An audit of required military capabilities and therefore, military expenditure in Africa, is essential. Efforts need to focus on scaling down of conventional military capabilities. An appropriate step taken in this direction at this juncture will assist Africa in achieving its visionary goal of Agenda 2063.

An increased level of engagement of the G20 with Africa could be significant as it could activate the existing G20 initiatives. It is also significant because it proposes to venture into new and critical areas such as skill development of women and rural youth, as well as a focus on renewable energy which are fundamental to capitalise on increased private investment.