CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Despite the relevance the Gulf of Guinea (Gog) bears for the international system, opinions varies as to the exact composition of the region. The geo-political entity known as the gulf of guinea, according to Merz and Yates consist of seven countries along the south Atlantic ocean, namely Nigeria, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Sao tome & Principe, Gabon, Angola and Congo Brazzaville‖ However, the Gulf of Guinea region faces several destabilizing factors and a challenging security environment which include narcotics trafficking from South America, smuggling of illegal aliens into Europe, irregular migrations, about $1 Billion a year in illegal fishing and pollution that threatens the coast and local food supply among others. Fisheries protection, drug smuggling, harbor security, and piracy undermine other commercial interests and scare away foreign investment. The global economy is experiencing tremendous changes with anticipated spillover effects on the Gulf of Guinea. Indeed, given the current political climate in the Middle East, which has disruptive effects on oil prices and causes shifts in the structure of oil demand, coupled with robust economic growth in China, the Gulf of Guinea is expected to occupy a more important place in U.S. The United States is paying increasing attention to the Gulf of Guinea. For instance, it is expected that The United States will invest more than $10 billion a year in the region over the next 10 years in oil activities; oceanic research in the deep-sea waters of Equatorial Guinea and Angola; the restoration and preservation of the forests of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, DRC, Cameroon, and CAR; the implementation of a training framework for African peace-keeping forces;

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