Francois Vrey
Stellenbosch University, Military Strategy, Faculty Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Piracy acted as a catalyst to heighten attention to a collapsing security landscape off East Africa. While piracy off Somalia became the arena to understand and respond to a dangerous threat at sea, the international community also came... more
Piracy acted as a catalyst to heighten attention to a collapsing security landscape off East Africa. While piracy off Somalia became the arena to understand and respond to a dangerous threat at sea, the international community also came to terms with the reality that Somalia is but one maritime threat landscape off Africa. The longer term outlook gradually turned to good maritime governance of Africa’s oceans to prevent and contain crime at sea. Maritime governance had to be uncovered and affirmed along Africa’s coast and four maritime hubs off North, West, Southern and East Africa became focal points where good order at sea had to be maintained, or re-established. North Africa demonstrates how rapidly the sea becomes an arena for human tragedy through criminal practices. West Africa shows dangerous criminal cooperation to threaten important energy resources at sea, while Southern Africa reflects that good order at sea off Africa is possible. East Africa, in turn conveys the message that international cooperation of multiple actors goes some way in restoring order and driving back criminality at sea. The central argument remains that cooperation by multiple actors promotes maritime security through maritime security governance to maintain or restore good order at sea in Africa’s littoral regions. Here the security focus must shift to fighting crime at sea, rather than anti-piracy.
Keywords: Africa; maritime security governance; maritime crime; maritime regions; justice; piracy.
Keywords: Africa; maritime security governance; maritime crime; maritime regions; justice; piracy.
The article turns to the theoretical work on conflict resolution and prevention to explore the international maritime responses at sea off the Horn of Africa and by SADC further south in Mozambique's northern waters. The main... more
The article turns to the theoretical work on conflict resolution and prevention to explore the international maritime responses at sea off the Horn of Africa and by SADC further south in Mozambique's northern waters. The main conclusions argue in favor of conflict resolution in the Horn region that supports ongoing landward missions in Somalia and conflict prevention by SADC to preclude an overspill of maritime threats to SADC waters that could threaten trade and infrastructure in SADC and its eastern littoral region in particular.
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A safe and secure maritime landscape off Africa's eastern and western shores thus become an imperative for supplying the growing economic hubs to the west and east of the continent. Although decision-makers often tend to view the... more
A safe and secure maritime landscape off Africa's eastern and western shores thus become an imperative for supplying the growing economic hubs to the west and east of the continent. Although decision-makers often tend to view the envisaged maritime security as a product of naval power, this is, in all probability, not the immediate African agenda and also contributes little to better understand contemporary African maritime security. [Maritime Review Africa, May/June 2013, p.32]
The international response to piracy through naval deployments off the Horn of Africa indicated that the piracy threat held a greater challenge than expected. The incompatibility between the war-fi ghting capabilities of the naval forces... more
The international response to piracy through naval deployments off the Horn of Africa indicated that the piracy threat held a greater challenge than expected. The incompatibility between the war-fi ghting capabilities of the naval forces and the non-military status of the pirate groups can be attributed to the asymmetric nature of operations between the two actors. The piracy case off Somalia is not the only example of how asymmetry at sea offsets stronger and more sophisticated opponents. In a scenario closer to naval warfare, Iran with its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy is
an example of deliberate employment of asymmetry to counter the advantages of opposing naval forces in the Persian Gulf region. The Sea Tigers of the LTTE movement in Sri Lanka also portrays the use of asymmetry at sea, but by an irregular opponent against a regular navy. Whereas the pirates off Somalia do not deliberately employ asymmetry, but perhaps exploit the advantages, Iran made a conscious decision to plan and equip
for asymmetry by investing in a naval force operating in parallel with its regular navy. In contrast, the Sea Tigers, being an irregular force, used asymmetry at sea through tactics and equipment to wage its low-intensity confl ict against the Sri Lanka Navy. In each of the three cases, whether it is a deliberate military, insurgent or criminal strategy, the asymmetry in the respective threats has complex, if not dangerous, consequences for
naval forces.
an example of deliberate employment of asymmetry to counter the advantages of opposing naval forces in the Persian Gulf region. The Sea Tigers of the LTTE movement in Sri Lanka also portrays the use of asymmetry at sea, but by an irregular opponent against a regular navy. Whereas the pirates off Somalia do not deliberately employ asymmetry, but perhaps exploit the advantages, Iran made a conscious decision to plan and equip
for asymmetry by investing in a naval force operating in parallel with its regular navy. In contrast, the Sea Tigers, being an irregular force, used asymmetry at sea through tactics and equipment to wage its low-intensity confl ict against the Sri Lanka Navy. In each of the three cases, whether it is a deliberate military, insurgent or criminal strategy, the asymmetry in the respective threats has complex, if not dangerous, consequences for
naval forces.
Research Interests:
Entrepreneurship remains a phenomenon associated with economic growth and an element, if not a catalyst for success in innovation and business ventures. The scholarly field covers a range of topics on entrepreneurship, but in this paper... more
Entrepreneurship remains a phenomenon associated with economic growth and an element, if not a catalyst for success in innovation and business ventures. The scholarly field covers a range of topics on entrepreneurship, but in this paper the focus turns to three debates. Firstly, the incidence of entrepreneurship in the public sector and the role played by systemic entrepreneurship in particular. Secondly, business ventures undertaken by members of military institutions that display the inherent presence of entrepreneurship, albeit under conditions of lesser risk, but with potentially negative institutional consequences. Thirdly, proponents of expeditionary economics suggest an entrepreneurial imperative for future military stability operations as a way to bridge the development void that hampers the success and withdrawal of armed contingents. Military establishments are also public institutions and the call to facilitate entrepreneurship in post conflict theaters opens an opportunity for systemic entrepreneurship to contribute through an organizational entity often viewed by critics as not conducive for entrepreneurship.
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Research Interests:
Research Interests:
DISTRIBUTION A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Document created: 1 September 2008 Air & Space Power Journal - Fall 2008. Revisiting South African Airpower Thought. Considering Some Challenges and Tensions in... more
DISTRIBUTION A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Document created: 1 September 2008 Air & Space Power Journal - Fall 2008. Revisiting South African Airpower Thought. Considering Some Challenges and Tensions in Southern Africa. ...
Abstract: This 11 th edition of Why nations go to war analyses ten case studies covering major international wars. The particular focus of each of the case studies turns upon the personalities of political and military leaders.... more
Abstract: This 11 th edition of Why nations go to war analyses ten case studies covering major international wars. The particular focus of each of the case studies turns upon the personalities of political and military leaders. Stoessinger emphasises that people go to ...
MODERN STRATEGY.
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Page 1. .205 ..... 1463-6689/01 /030205-14 foresight/ vol.03, no.03, jun.01 the journal of futures studies, strategic thinking and policy Camford © 2001 Camford Publishing Ltd * article: ...