49 Fall 2024 Proceedings cooperation through establishment of operational mari- time zones, national MOCs, and MMCCs. In Liberia, we learned there were some similarities between the Liberian coast guard and the U.S. Coast Guard, including the enlisted rates and training. On the day we toured the base, we observed small-boat training and toured the Freeport of Monrovia on a former Coast Guard defender boat. The expertise of Coast Guard offi- cers with operational experience is particularly impor- tant. These officers provide a recommendation on the vessels’ condition, whether the security force can main- tain its assets, and the readiness of its boarding teams to respond to various maritime incidents. The platforms, training, and procedures that have been modeled after those of the U.S. Coast Guard made visiting Monrovia and learning about the Liberian coast guard feel very familiar. The Future of AMLEP In Africa, there is high demand for Coast Guard exper- tise. There are serious challenges in the allocation of scarce personnel and resources to support 39 coastal nations on the continent. With fish stocks rapidly declining and the importance of fish as a food source in Africa, the U.S. government, its allies, and APNs are focused on countering IUU fishing and maritime threats through domestic and international cooperation. Coast Guard personnel assigned to AFRICOM are proud to be part of this whole-of-government, international effort to support African nations in strengthening their abilities to govern their waters. Without AMLEP, IUU fishing and other criminal activities could continue unabated in Africa, contribut- ing directly to food insecurity and socioeconomic insta- bility. Food insecurity contributes to instability, forces population migration, creates conditions for irregular transitions of power that threaten U.S. diplomatic and economic investments, and creates a permissible envi- ronment for malign actors. AMLEP must continue to adapt to the ever-changing political, strategic, and operational peaks and valleys throughout the African region. Continuing to build bilateral agreements can forge new relationships with countries susceptible to foreign influence, corruption, and under-resourced agencies. Making full use of the Coast Guard’s goodwill built over generations enables access and partnerships in what will be critical strategic waters moving forward. About the authors: LT Megen Gold currently serves as assistant legal counsel at AFRICOM. Prior to this assignment, she served as a staff attorney in the Office of Maritime & International Law at Coast Guard headquarters. Prior to joining the Coast Guard, she practiced maritime law in Miami. LCDR Derek Wallin enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2000, and in 2011 attended Officer Candidate School. Currently, he is stationed in the Maritime Law Enforcement Branch, part of AFRICOM. His focus is on maritime strategy and security throughout East Africa and the southern Mediterranean. CDR Amy Sung is the chief of legal engagements at AFRICOM, advis- ing the command, components, and state partnership program on rule of law and maritime law. Previously, she served as staff judge advocate of U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma in California and as a staff attorney at several Coast Guard legal offices. Endnotes: 1. The White House, Fact Sheet: Accelerating the U.S.-Africa Partnership After the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing- room/statements-releases/2023/12/13/fact-sheet-accelerating-the-u-s-africa- partnership-after-the-2022-u-s-africa-leaders-summit 2. U.S. Africa Command, What We Do, https://www.africom.mil/what-we-do 3. U.S. Africa Command, African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership, https://www.africom.mil/what-we-do/security-cooperation/africa-mari- time-law-enforcement-partnership-amlep-program 4. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006, 16 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq 5. Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act of 2019, 16 U.S.C. § 8001 et seq 6. National Defense Authorization Act of 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-31, § 1808 (2023) 7. Global Food Security, Prospects and challenges of fish for food security in Africa, Vol. 20, March 2019, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ pii/S2211912418300439 Coast Guard LT Megen Gold, right, speaks with members of the Liberian Coast Guard during a visit to Monrovia, Liberia, in May 2023. Coast Guard photo by CDR Amy Sung
