Turning the Tide

Global maritime piracy has remained a challenge for the community of states since antiquity. The scope, nature and context of this practice has spawned various responses and policies among nations to deal with it. In recent times, incidences of piracy off the coast of Somalia have increased, making the Gulf of Aden the epicenter of pirate activities today. This is a worrisome trend, considering the region's vital importance as a shipping hub. The aim of this work is to analyze the role of the international community in combating maritime piracy in Somalia. The book seeks to address the following pertinent questions: What is the historical development of maritime piracy in Somalia, what measures has the international community put in place to counter it and what mechanisms are effective at curbing maritime pirate attacks in the Horn of Africa. A wealth of knowledge and scholarly material already exists on the issue of Somalia and its free fall to chaos. However, this study limits its scope to maritime piracy and the responses to it, in an effort to foster an enhanced understanding of the vice, its upsurge within Somali coastal communities and how affected states can combat it.