Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

Piracy Delaying Food Aid November 4, 2011

It is well known that some, if not many, Somali pirates, when hijacking vessels, have claimed to represent the “Somali Coast Guard” and other “Somali Interests”.  At the recent Combating Piracy event in London the attendees were told numerous tales about Europeans, Asians, and other who illegally fished the Somali waters and were therefore the cause of the piracy (at least a major cause).  While there is little debate that economic issues are the root cause of many Somalis joining the ranks of pirates, piracy is now beginning to adversely affect the very Somalis that many pirates claim to represent.  According to an article on CNN, piracy is delaying needed food aid to the Horn of Africa. Over 12 million people in the Horn of Africa require some form of food aid. According to Professor Mthuli Ncube, who fulfills a dual role as the bank’s chief economist and vice president the African Development Bank:

“[Piracy] affects the transit of food quickly, where it’s needed by refugees. It also brings up the costs of transporting the food and it goes beyond that into tourism, into the exploitation of hydro-carbons … the issue around fishing and so forth.  But more urgently it is about delivery of food that is being affected.”