What is the main reason behind the surge of piracy in West Africa?
Corruption drives piracy As is often the case, corruption, weak law enforcement and poverty are the main causes of piracy, according to Dr.
Where is piracy still a major issue in Africa?
Even though the figures, in general, show a steady decrease for the last decade, the Gulf of Guinea is still the most dangerous sea when it comes to piracy.
What year did piracy peak in Somali waters?
Piracy attacks in Somali waters peaked in 2011, when 160 attacks were recorded, and incidents had soared to 358 during the the five-year period between 2010 and 2015.
How does piracy affect Africa?
From an economic point of view, maritime piracy is a threat for regional and global economy, as Africa’s key maritime routes (Sea Lanes of Communications) are affected adversely. Over 90% of Africa’s imports and exports are moved by sea.
Are there still pirates in 2021?
In 2021, there was a decrease of pirate attacks against ships worldwide compared with the previous year. While 195 ships were attacked by pirates in 2020, the number of ships attacked dropped to 132 in 2021.
Why piracy is a growing threat in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea?
The potential for high profits—along with high unemployment along the coast, weak security and a lack of judicial enforcement of maritime laws in many West African countries—makes the Gulf of Guinea especially attractive for pirates and other criminals.
Is there still pirates in 2021?
Why can’t ships shoot at pirates?
Cargo ships don’t carry weapons because it is feared this would increase the likelihood of crew members getting killed or injured. Anti-piracy tactics tend to focus on preventing pirates boarding in the first place.
Do pirates still exist 2022?
Possible developments in 2022 In Asia, maritime piracy is likely to remain at the same level as in 2021 if there is no specific response (on land and at sea) from the nations of the Singapore Strait region.
What country has the most pirates?
Indonesia’s 17,500 islands and their surrounding waters now take the title as the world’s most heavily pirated. National navies are becoming progressively more active in combating piracy, along with more armed security companies being employed on commercial vessels and tankers.
Why is piracy on the rise in the Gulf of Guinea?
Since the two most important economic sectors in the area — fishing and farming — have been destroyed, many people are looking for other sources of income. This makes it easy for criminal gangs to recruit new pirates.
Is piracy on the rise in West Africa?
In Africa, while piracy in Somalia’s Gulf of Aden is currently on the decline, it has spread to West Africa. Although most attacks in the region take place in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, there have also been attacks in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Togo, among others, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Is piracy on East African shipping routes declining?
The East African shipping routes along the Somali coastline have been notorious for hijackings and robberies. But since peaking in 2011, rates of piracy there have fallen off dramatically in recent years.
How common are pirate attacks in West African waters?
In 2018, there were 112 such incidents in West African waters. It’s not just the huge tankers exporting oil and gas from Nigeria and Ghana that are targeted. Commercial ships from smaller countries are also in the sights of the pirates.
Are there any incidents of piracy in the Nigerian Port?
There were also incidents reported at the loading and anchorage facilities in the Nigerian port of Lagos. Piracy in the form of hijacking and kidnapping for ransom payments was also common off the coasts of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo-Brazzaville and Cameroon.