This is a very controversial topic among world leaders. Somalia has been a hot spot for pirates hijacking ships along the Gulf of Aden for many years. Piracy in Somalian waters hit its peak around 2010, and it has receded since 2011. This is mainly due to the world leaders cracking down on pirates. This meant stronger enforcement of international laws, specifically those against piracy. But, it does pose a major threat not only to the shipping industry, but the world as a whole.
While piracy has simmered down due to stricter laws and enforcement of those laws, it leaves pirates with nothing to do. Not only has law enforcement gotten stronger, but ships are now being fortified and protected. It makes it extremely difficult for pirates to successfully hijack and ransom off ships coming through the area. This gives the pirates no option to resort to other measures in order to still reel in money and get their word out (as they claim this to be their main purpose). With the advancements in technology we have seen over the years, pirates can get their hands on more advanced equipment.
This ties in greatly with the threat of terrorism converging with piracy in the Somalian area. With the growing international presence of terrorist groups like ISIS, it is possible to see a emergence of a ISIS camp spawning up in the area. As stated in the lecture, much of the south is controlled by Islamists. It is just a theory, but it is entirely possible that terrorist groups can converge or align with the Somalian pirates. This is a huge threat to global security, as ISIS is known for their bombings and millings of innocent civilians around the world. As I said, this is just a theory. This has not happened yet and there is no research that I can find on it so far. But, I would not be surprised if I heard something on CNN about it someday in the near future. That being said, Somalian piracy is still a threat to the global community. Even though it has declined since 2011, we cannot underestimate them.
-By Dom Dellamano
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