Setting the Stage: Studies, Geographies, and Approaches

Abstract

Following the 2009 hijacking of the Us-flagged Maersk Alabama and the kidnapping of its captain, rethinking the existing framework for combating piracy off the coast of Somali was next to inevitable. The hijacking not only raised questions about the size and capabilities of existing military deterrence efforts, but it also sparked discussions of increasing private security aboard shipping vessels. Since the introduction of private security aboard shipping vessels the number of successful piracy attacks has steadily decreased. This begged the question, if the number of successful piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia has been decreasing since 2009, why are counter piracy actors calling for an increase in and expansion of current counter piracy efforts? In addition, why and how has securing and developing Somalia become a cornerstone of international efforts to combat the crime of piracy?