The Pirates of West Africa

Piracy has become a problem in West Africa.  It now has more piracy incidents than the coast of Somalia. About 960 sailors were attacked in West Africa in 2012, compared to 851 off the Somali coast, according tothe International Maritime Bureau (IMB).  In  2012, there were 32 reported incidents, where as there was 25 in 2011.  Piracy cost West Africa up to $950 million last year.

While West African pirates mostly steal fuel cargo and the crews' possessions, often resorting to extreme violence, Somali pirates usually seize a ship and its crew and hold them until a ransom is paid.  Most of the piracy is thought to have been fueled by Nigerian criminals who loot the oil off of the Nigerian delta.    In 2012, the Guardian reported:

There are concerns that piracy in and around Nigeria could engulf the entire west African coastal region – known as the Gulf of Guinea – an increasingly busy maritime region and a major thoroughfare for valuable commodities such as oil, gold, bauxite and iron ore, and agricultural products.

Indeed, this week, fears of just that have led Western African leaders to convene on the issue.  They have called for the deployment of an international naval force to curb the growing threat of piracy off the Gulf of Guinea.

The success against Somali pirates offer some hope for West Africa. In November 2008, Somali pirates began hijacking ships well outside the Gulf of Aden. The frequency and sophistication of the attacks also increased around this time, as did the size of vessels being targeted.   Between 2005 and 2012, more than 3,740 crew members from 125 countries fell prey to Somali pirates, and as many as 97 died,  but piracy in Somalia is at a six year low.  Attempted hijackings fell from 237 in 2011 to 75 in 2012, with successful attacks plummeting from 28 in 2011 to 14 in 2012.  

How did the international community address the piracy issue in Somalia? 

• Established an international naval force:  Combined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition task force, subsequently took on the role of fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia by establishing a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) within the Gulf of Aden. 
• However, many foreign naval vessels chasing pirates were forced to break off when the pirates entered Somali territorial waters.  As a result, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a declaration authorizing nations that have the consent of the Transitional Federal Government to enter Somali territorial waters to deal with pirates
• Merchant ships drastically increased their armed security 
• The development of special anti-piracy courts around the world 
• The World Bank recommends rebuilding the country.