Piracy in Somalia Still Exists
The threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia looms large despite significant gains made against it, says Andrew McLaughlin, the Program Officer in charge of Global Maritime Security at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
He told Xinhua that in Kenyan capital Nairobi that a fragile political, economic and security situation in Somalia could provide a fertile ground for piracy to thrive.
The last wave of Somalia piracy peaked in 2011 with 176 attacks. It declined to almost nothing by 2015, thanks to an increased foreign naval presence and industry precautions like posting armed guards, moving faster, and following certain routes when passing through the area.
"Piracy in Somalia has not been defeated but only countered. The threat can recur since the security and economic situation in Somalia remains dire," McLaughlin said
He regretted that Somalia's limited military capability and high youth unemployment could undermine efforts to eradicate piracy.
"Push factors like high youth unemployment should be addressed to boost anti-piracy operation in Somalia. Strengthening the rule of law is crucial to eliminate this menace," McLaughlin said.
He said that the creation of strong political institutions would act as a bulwark against piracy and other transnational crimes that have thrived along the Somali coast.
Meanwhile, heading into 2016, however, IHS Inc. said Somali piracy was a major risk thanks to instability and unrest in the region.
"The two conditions that led regional politicians to [support pirates], namely a lack of alternative economic opportunities and a threat to their control of their territory, are currently being recreated in the Galmudug region of central Somalia," the risk consultancy warned.
