The Global Maritime Partnership and Somali Piracy

Since 2005, increasingly numerous and bold attacks by Somali maritime gangs operating in the Horn of Africa have extracted millions of dollars in ransom payments from international shipping companies, governments and insurance companies to release seafarers and hijacked vessels and cargo. There has been no effective governmental control on the Somalia borders for nearly two decades. The present ruling Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in the Puntland is battling piracy, but lacks the authority or power to bring a halt to the attacks. In 2008, 42 vessels were seized by pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. Globally, 889 mariners were held hostage by pirates (815 in Somalia) as part of ransom demands. Last year, globally, 11 mariners were murdered by pirates and another 21 are missing and presumed dead. During the same period, off the Horn of Africa, four mariners were killed and 14 are missing and presumed dead. In 2009, the relentless pace of piracy attacks against merchant shipping actually increased, casting into doubt the ability of nations to secure freedom of the seas. During the first five months of 2009, there were 114 attempted attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden that resulted in 29 hijackings and the kidnappings of 478 sailors. The boldness and international scope of the maritime piracy campaign recalls the “golden age” of Caribbean piracy in the eighteenth century and is unprecedented in the contemporary era. This article briefly describes the threat of maritime piracy in the Horn of Africa and, in particular, in the Gulf of Aden. The challenge of maritime piracy arises at a time of political instability in the region of East Africa and economic turmoil throughout the world. An unprecedented array of warships from the world’s navies have deployed to the region to collaboratively battle the common threat. Next, we turn towards a discussion of the greatest force multiplier in the fight against maritime piracy in the Horn of Africa – new co-operative maritime strategies and associated authorities that serve as the basis for deeper maritime security partnerships. Defense & Security Analysis Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 223–234, September 2009