In Focus | West Africa
Brussels, Washington and London battle for maritime ascendancy with anti-piracy programmes
Under pressure from its shipowners, Brussels is set to launch its SWAIMS anti-piracy programme for countries in the Gulf of Guinea that lack the resources to respond effectively to the problem on their own account. Meanwhile, Britain and the US are boosting their own maritime diplomatic efforts in the region by providing support for national navies there, taking advantage of problems with the EU programmes.
