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Africa Horn |
Piracy could surge off Somali coast in 2017 |
2016-10-23 |
Even with maritime piracy at a 21-year low, experts are warning of a potential resurgence in East Africa among other risks. “Suddenly, the opportunity is improving,” anti-piracy expert John Steed said about Somali piracy. “No one has tried it yet, but the potential is there for it to come back.” 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. At the end of last year, the industry issued new recommendations that reduced the size of the danger zone. 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. Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) also warned of a piracy “reset” in its mid-year report. Steed, the non-profit’s regional manager for the Horn of Africa, walked us through some risk factors.
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Posted by:Steve White |