Denmark announced the upcoming priorities regarding the fight against piracy and other criminal activity at sea. The priorities contain civil and military efforts against piracy. The geographical focus remains in Western Africa and the Horn of Africa.
From 2019 to 2022, the priorities in the fight against piracy and other maritime crimes will replace the current Government strategy of 2015-2018.
Piracy still pose challenges for Danish shipping and seafarers. In recent years, there has been a decreasing tendency in the number of piracy incidents globally. However, there are regions where piracy remains problematic for all seafarers. Namely:
- In 2017, there were 180 registered occurrences of piracy, according to International Maritime Bureau. This is the lowest number since 1995;
- In the first half of 2018, around 40 % of the global occurrences of piracy happened in Western Africa. The majority of occurrences happens near Nigeria;
- At the Horn of Africa, the situation is stable for now, because of a massive international effort at sea and by land. However, the instability in Yemen and changed regional dynamics could lead to new threats against the international shipping in the region.
Gulf of Guinea
During the first half of 2018, over 40% of the reported pirate attacks, took place in the Gulf of Guinea. Currently, about 5% of Danish shipping exports goes to Wet Africa. Danish priorities in the Gulf of Guinea will be the following:
- Improving maritime governance in Nigeria and Ghana, by improving their legal framework and their ability to investigate and prosecute maritime crime;
- Promote regional cooperation for an effective response to reduce adverse effects from maritime threats in the region, including by retaining combating of piracy and other types of maritime crime on the agenda of the organisations and countries in the Gulf of Guinea;
- Enhancing the ability of authorities to monitor the maritime domain and respond to emerging threats.
Horn of Africa
About 70 ships controlled by Danish companies are present in the waters off the coast of Somalia. As a result, for several years Denmark has applied a counter-piracy effort in the region. The following strategic instruments will underpin the comprehensive approach:
- A four year, DKK 219 million Peace and Stabilisation Programme for the Horn of Africa 2018 – 2022;
- The Peace and Stabilisation Response’s deployment of advisors to the EU Capacity Building Missions for Somalia to strengthen maritime security;
- Engagements under the Country Programme for Somalia and the regional Peace and Stabilisation Programme to address piracy;
- Deployment of military capacities as needed in light of the developments in the threat from piracy and other types of maritime crime;
- Active participation in the International Contact Group for Piracy off the coast of Somalia.
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