Implementing International Law and Policy to Combat Marine Corruption: How Can African Coastal Cities Help?

Oceans are central to the healthy functioning of the Earth’s biosystem, contributing to climate stability and harbouring valuable food resources. Marine corruption is one of the greatest threats to the healthy functioning and conservation of marine resources. Since local authorities offer many viable solutions to some of the problems associated with rapid urbanisation and globalisation, such as marine corruption, it is argued that states should work with their coastal cities to control corruption and improve the sustainable use of marine resources. This article explores how African coastal cities can contribute to the implementation of international law and policy to combat marine corruption. African regional law provides that cities should have sufficient autonomy to regulate and manage their local affairs. It is also argued that because of the nature of marine corruption, coastal cities are in the best position to contribute to addressing it. This means that national governments, at least from the perspective of African regional law, should grant coastal cities the necessary powers and capacities to do so. The article discusses the measures under international law that can be used to control marine corruption. These measures include those contained in anti-corruption laws and those primarily aimed at the sustainable use of marine resources. A case study of Walvis Bay, in Namibia, is used to show what coastal cities can do to control marine corruption.