Tackling Piracy Requires Africa-wide Response

Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently asserted that piracy is a continent-wide problem, not just the problem of his nation Somalia.

President Mohamud addressed the African summit in Ethiopia and insisted that the piracy and illegal fishing would be addressed more affectively if it were viewed as an African problem, not just seen as a Somali problem. He said African unity is needed, and that Somalia should not be isolated in their responsibility.

In his speech, he pointed out that pirates have extended their areas of operation beyond just Somali waters and that the international scope of the issue warrants a proportional international response. If the problem is not addressed continent-wide, he continued, the pirate infestation will spread to all other coastal nations.

One of the major problems that piracy presents is that pirates can hide-out on the coastline of nations even if they are not active in their waters. So while the majority of piracy occurs in the hot spots off the coast of Somalia, the pirates do not remain in those waters.

Piracy has been reduced thanks to an international effort, mostly from non-African nations. Foreign navies do not want to permanently occupy the Indian Ocean, however, so in the long-term it will be up to African countries to unite in their fight to end the problem.