Seatrade Maritime is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Decline in Somali piracy 'fragile and reversible'

Decline in Somali piracy 'fragile and reversible'
The participants at the UAE counter piracy conference warned the decline in Somali piracy was “fragile and reversible”.

In a communiqué issued at the close of the conference it was noted that while the efforts of the international community and the shipping industry had results in a drop in Somali pirate attacks 57 seafarers were still held hostage and the cost to the global economy in 2012 was estimated at $6bn.

“The recent decline in pirate attacks is both fragile and reversible; governments and industry need to maintain their focus on maritime piracy and warn that any easing of security efforts at sea and capacity building on shore will likely see a resurgence of pirate attacks,” it said.

It also called for efforts to undermine the business model of piracy to be expanded. “There is a continuing need for the international community to cooperate on law enforcement, including with INTERPOL, to investigate and prosecute international criminal networks involved in piracy and, in particular, those responsible for illicit financing and facilitation, consistent with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” it said.

Participants included the president of Somalia, the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), more than 20 foreign and other government ministers, more than 150 top executives of global maritime-sector companies, senior government and military officials from around 50 countries, the United Nations, NGOs, and leading academic experts participated in the conference. The conference was organised by the UAE foreign ministry, DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC).