Piracy is a growing threat to shipping in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea — a major source of oil, metals and agricultural products to world markets — with a spate of attacks off Benin this year marking an expansion in the area pirates operate.
“Benin is hoping to acquire one or two light aircraft to enhance surveillance capacity and is looking to both the French and the United States as possible sources for that,” James Knight, the U.S. ambassador to Benin, told Reuters in a telephone interview.
“We are thinking that would be an excellent idea … as surveillance is the most significant lack of capability on their part,” he said.
Knight said that Benin’s government was also in talks with France for three patrol boats, to add to the country’s two “armed and very fast” 27-foot defender class vessels given by the United States last year.
A Benin government official was not immediately available to comment.
While attacks in the Gulf of Guinea have not hit levels seen off Somalia’s coast, analysts say pirates have spotted a window of opportunity with weak local security and a craggy coastline which offers natural hideouts.
More than 20 attacks have been reported off Benin alone this year, and experts say many more likely went unreported in the Gulf of Guinea region as shipping companies sought to avoid increased insurance premiums.