Two Chinese Nationals Abducted by ISIS in Niger

 Nigeria's Daily Post published on 3 February 2025 an article titled "ISIS Terrorists Abduct Chinese Nationals in Niger Republic" by Francis Ugwu.

During an attack on Agadez in Niger, Islamic State militants abducted two Chinese employees of the China National Petroleum Corporation.  They are presumably being held for ransom.  

Is Somali Piracy Returning as a Major Problem?

 Reuters published on 21 March 2024 an article titled "Somali Pirates' Return Adds to Crisis for Global Shipping Companies" by Giulia Paravicini, Jonathan Saul, and Abdiqani Hassan.

For a variety of reasons, Somali piracy nearly disappeared ten years ago from the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, and wider Indian Ocean.  Since November 2023, Somali pirates have attempted more than 20 hijackings, resulting in the return of armed security guards on ships and higher shipping insurance rates.  Although the number of attacks remains well below the peak in 2011, there is concern that piracy is returning as a serious threat.

Comment:  The ability and willingness of the central government in Mogadishu and the regional government of Puntland to control the Somali coastline will largely determine whether Somali piracy returns as a major issue.  More aggressive preventive measures by shipowners will also play a significant role.  

Kidnapping Out of Control in Ethiopia's Oromia Region

 The Guardian published on 23 January 2024 an article titled "'This Is a Pandemic'; Ethiopia's Oromia Region Gripped by Surge in Kidnappings" by Fred Harter.  

The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and possible other groups have been identified as instigating abductions in Oromia in return for a ransom payment.  Kidnapping has become a way of life because it is easy money to sustain the OLA. 

Video on Return of Somali Piracy

The Institute for Security Studies recently posted a 20 minute video titled "View on Africa: Is Piracy Back?" with Timothy Walker.

There have been five recent hijackings of ships in the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. So far, no ransoms have been paid and several ships have been released. The question discussed is whether Somali piracy will return to the high levels that existed in 2008 to 2011. The video suggests this will probably not happen and even if it does, the international community is better prepared to cope with the threat.

Somali Piracy and Armed Guards

Jon Huggins, director of Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP), a Denver-based foundation dedicated to combating piracy, was interviewed on 18 December 2012 by Global Observatory on the issue of Somali piracy.  He viewed the use of armed guards on commercial vessels as a short-term fix for dealing with pirates.  OBP prefers peaceful solutions to ending piracy based on the rule of law.  He did acknowledge, however, that the use of armed guards has significantly reduced the number of successful pirate attacks.

Somali Piracy and Ransoms

The International Policy Ransoms Task Force issued its final report on Somali piracy on 11 December 2012. Since the task force was launched, there has been a dramatic reduction in piracy activity. Reported attacks declined from 176 in 2011 to 35 as of November 2012.

The Task Force concluded that ransoms not only reward pirates for their crime, but they provide the main source of funds to support further piracy activity. They strengthen the criminal elements that benefit from them, fuel corruption and undermine the rule of law.

The Task Force acknowledged there are no actions that could immediately bring a halt to the payment of ransoms, especially privately paid ransoms. However, there are a range of options, some of which are already being explored that could reduce and avoid the risks posed by ransom payments to pirates.

Click here to read the final report.

Update on Somali Piracy

UN correspondent John J. Metzler wrote a useful update on 4 May 2012 concerning the success rate of Somali pirates. While Somali pirates captured 28 vessels in the first half of 2011, they captured only 3 in the second half of the year. So far in 2012, the pirates have seized only 4 commercial ships. A year ago, Somali pirates held 24 ships and 500 sailors; today they hold 7 ships and 200 sailors. On the other hand, pirates took in an estimated record $150 million in ransom demands in 2011. Click here to read the short article.

Metzler attributes the reduced pirate success rate in large part to the counter measures taken by the international naval force. While this has certainly played a role, I believe the more important reason for the lower success rate has been the counter measures taken by ship owners. This includes avoiding some of the most dangerous areas, faster speed, protecting low free board and, especially, adding security teams to vessels and authorizing them to shoot back. Somali pirates understand a forceful response.

The Cost of Somali Piracy

The One Earth Future Foundation recently published an assessment titled The Economic Cost of Somali Piracy 2011 by Anna Bowden and Shikha Basnet. It concluded that Somali piracy cost between $6.6 and $6.9 billion in 2011, down from a figure of $7 to $12 billion in 2010. The shipping industry bore over 80 percent of these costs. While there was an increase in pirate attacks, successful hijackings were down, in part as a result of a more aggressive response from military forces conducting anti-piracy missions in the region.

The report attributed the costs to ransoms, higher insurance, security equipment and guards, re-routing of ships, increased speed and burning of more fuel, compensation of kidnapped seafarers, prosecutions and imprisonment, military operations, and the creation of anti-piracy organizations.

For an earlier companion piece by Kaija Hurlburt, see The Human Cost of Somali Piracy.

Who Benefits from Somali Piracy Ransoms?

Dr. Anja Shortland of Brunel University has prepared a fascinating study that analyzes who benefits from Somali piracy ransoms. Published in January 2012 by Chatham House, it concludes that about one-third of pirate ransoms are converted into Somali shillings, benefiting casual labor and pastoralists in Puntland. Pirates probably make a significant contribution to economic development in the provincial capitals of Garowe and Bosasso. Puntland's political elites are therefore unlikely to move decisively against piracy. Coastal villages have gained little from hosting pirates and may be open to a negotiated solution which offers a more attractive alternative.

Piracy has created employment and considerable multiplier effects in the Puntland economy, even if a significant proportion of the proceeds is invested in foreign goods or channeled to foreign financiers. The distribution of ransom money follows traditional patterns in Somalia, involving considerable redistribution and investment in urban centers rather than coastal villages. Piracy-related gains have been largely offset, however, by the rise in international food prices. The poor are no better off in absolute terms.

The total cost of piracy off the Horn of Africa (including the counter-piracy measures) was estimated to be in the region of $7 to $12 billion for 2010, while ransoms brought in about $250 million. Even if Somali communities received all of the ransom money, replacing this source of income with a combination of foreign-funded security forces and development aid would be considerably cheaper than continuing with the status quo.

The report is titled Treasure Mapped: Using Satellite Imagery to Track the Developmental Effects of Somali Piracy.