A recent report by Oceans Beyond Piracy and OEF Research reviews the key lessons about network structures and how they were useful in the response to Somali piracy, and makes suggestions about how these lessons may apply to the Mediterranean migration crisis that’s unfolding today.
Understanding the Somali piracy crisis could make crossing the Mediterranean safer for refugees. Although the Mediterranean migration crisis is very different from maritime piracy, many of the same groups are impacted. The lessons of counter-piracy suggest that by bringing together key international stakeholders to agree on implementing a coordinated set of responses, dangerous maritime situations can be identified, addressed and contained. The use of international systems structured as multi-sectoral networks, rather than more formal or enduring hierarchies, was one element that allowed the response to Somali piracy to be fairly nimble, coordinated, and effective.
Lessons from counter-piracy institutions suggest that in addition to this general argument, specific design principles supporting security can be identified:
- Low formal and political barriers to entry and immediate and obvious added value for participation facilitate engagement.
- Incorporating all relevant stakeholders facilitates problem-solving
- Formal governance systems should be developed enough for effective coordination but loose enough to avoid hierarchy
According to the report, the rapid increase in irregular migration flows at sea in the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia, improved data regarding the dangers facing migrants, and the public outcry by international organizations, the maritime industry, and civil society organizations about the loss of lives during these crossings have led to a growing number of initiatives designed to address the situation.
The following tables represent a non-exhaustive overview of the diverse response initiatives launched by governments, IGOs, the maritime industry, and NGOs.
Mediterranean
Southeast Asia
Further details may be found by reading the report
Source: Oceans Beyond Piracy
