Last week I wrote about the Federal Government of Somalia and the Turkey allegedly paying ransom to secure the release of the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship and its crew that was moored off the coast of Puntland.
The accusations against the two nations come amid an increase in the number of ships that have been hijacked over the last year raising the question whether Somali piracy has made a major comeback in an unprecedented manner.
According to maritime sources Somali piracy seems to have bounced back to levels not experienced in more than ten years.
It is reported at least eight vessels have been hijacked since April this years an indication of resurgence that has tongues wagging and raising renewed concern about maritime security around the Horn of Africa.
The attack in the Somali waters seems to mainly single out commercial ships and smaller vessels reversing the gains made in combating the menace. Statistics show that the gains made by the international naval community to give a boost to bring Somalia’s piracy crisis under control.
Last August two vessels were hijacked within a fortnight including the controversial Cameroonian-flagged ship MV Lutuf which the Somali government claimed had been released after a joint operation involving Somali and Turkish forces.
The resurgence has coincided with wider instability across the region and a reduction in the international naval presence that once focused heavily on Somalia’s coastline.
The resurgence also comes at a time stability in the Somali waters and the Red sea are under serious threat as the hostilities between the United States and Iran continue to bubble.
Accordingly, some international naval resources have been redirected towards security threats in the Red Sea and other strategic waterways, creating fewer resources for dedicated anti-piracy operations off Somalia.
It is believed that the changing security environment has created opportunities for pirate groups to operate again willy-nilly.
The claim that the Somali government and that of Turkey had paid ransom for the release of MV Lutuf would encourage would-be pirates to hijack more vessels.
Pirate networks also appear to have adapted since their previous period of activity. Officials and maritime analysts have reported the use of improved communications and tracking technology, while vessels previously seized by pirates have reportedly been used to support subsequent attacks.
The release of the MV Lutuf was accompanied by conflicting accounts over whether a ransom was paid, with Puntland authorities saying money had been handed over while Somalia’s federal government attributed the release to a joint military operation. The claims have not been independently verified.
Maritime experts warn that ransom payments can provide pirate networks with money to reorganise and finance further operations.
Somalia experienced its worst piracy crisis between the mid-2000s and early 2010s. More than 1,000 attacks were recorded during that period, with thousands of crew members taken hostage and hundreds of millions of dollars paid in ransom before international naval patrols and improved security measures brought the threat down sharply.
The current wave remains far smaller than the crisis of that period, but the latest attacks have raised questions about whether Somalia and its international partners can prevent piracy from becoming a sustained threat again.
The challenge for Somalia is not only protecting ships at sea, but also addressing the security and governance problems along its long coastline that have historically allowed piracy networks to take root.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan, has said the one-person one-vote has successfully been implemented across the country.
Speaking in Mogadishu after meeting envoys drawn from the US, UK. China. Turkey, Ethiopia. Kenya. Sudan and Egypt as well as representatives from the African Union, the UN and the organization of Islam Cooperation said the country had tasted universal suffrage for the first time in the last 57 years.
The briefing is an indication that the Commission is committed to transparency and intends to keep international partners informed on the progress of the electoral process.
The electoral body provided a detailed update on the electoral milestones achieved so far, including the successful conclusion of the District Council elections in Banadir Region, the simultaneous elections for District and Regional Councils in South West State and Galmudug, and the upcoming elections planned for Hirshabelle State.
He reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that the process remains inclusive, transparent, and credible thus giving an opportunity to elect their own representatives at various levels of the Somali people.
Somalia has been holding piece-meal state elections using the universal suffrage which has been criticized by opposition leaders who prefer the clan-based electoral process.
The roll out for the one-person one-vote started in Banadiir and has been executed in all the states in Somalia.
