Piracy in Somalia: Indications of a Breakdown of Global, Regional and National Security Systems

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the rise of piracy off the coast of Somalia as a symptom of the failure of national, regional, and global security systems. It argues that the international community's focus on the US-led Global War on Terror has led to misplaced priorities, allowing piracy to proliferate due to the collapse of the Somali state and the inefficiency of regional bodies like IGAD.

• The seizure of the Ukrainian-registered ship MV Faina, which was transporting approximately 35 T72 military tanks and other weapons, is described as an unprecedented and bold attack that brought high-level international attention to the piracy crisis.
• Piracy activity increased significantly in 2008, with the International Chamber of Commerce and International Maritime Bureau recording over 61 actual and attempted hijackings by September 25, 2008.
• The briefing attributes the increase in piracy to a systemic breakdown of security at three levels: the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia is viewed as a 'client-government' unable to provide security; regional organizations like IGAD and the East African Standby Brigade (EASBRIG) have failed their mandates; and the US has been preoccupied with the Global War on Terror.
• The document argues that piracy was partially fueled by the illegal and unsustainable exploitation of Somalia's marine resources by foreign companies in the mid-nineties, which provided pirates with a justification for their actions under the guise of protecting Somali waters.
• The author suggests that military solutions proposed by the European Union and the TFG will have limited significance; instead, the briefing recommends the withdrawal of external forces and the formation of a genuine, all-inclusive government.

APA

Guyo, M. (2008). Piracy in Somalia: Indications of a Breakdown of Global, Regional and National Security Systems. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/09-oct-2008-iss-today-piracy-in-somalia-indications-of-a-breakdown-of-global-regional-and-national-security-systems

Chicago

Guyo, Mohamed. Piracy in Somalia: Indications of a Breakdown of Global, Regional and National Security Systems. Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/09-oct-2008-iss-today-piracy-in-somalia-indications-of-a-breakdown-of-global-regional-and-national-security-systems.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Guyo |first1=Mohamed |title=Piracy in Somalia: Indications of a Breakdown of Global, Regional and National Security Systems |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=9 October 2008 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/09-oct-2008-iss-today-piracy-in-somalia-indications-of-a-breakdown-of-global-regional-and-national-security-systems |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{guyo2008piracy, author = {Guyo, Mohamed}, title = {{Piracy in Somalia: Indications of a Breakdown of Global, Regional and National Security Systems}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/09-oct-2008-iss-today-piracy-in-somalia-indications-of-a-breakdown-of-global-regional-and-national-security-systems}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }