Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that combating piracy off the coast of Somalia requires a simultaneous, coordinated effort on land and sea. It highlights the economic dilemma where piracy remains lucrative while alternative livelihoods are limited, and emphasizes that the establishment of a functional Somali state, secure infrastructure, and the development of coastal fisheries are essential for long-term stability.

• Solving piracy in Somalia requires a dual approach focusing on both land and sea, as the problem originates on-shore. However, a significant challenge exists because piracy is highly lucrative, making it difficult to incentivize the youth to adopt alternative livelihoods, such as the rehabilitation of coastal fisheries.
• The Somali economy relies heavily on informal business networks and specific exports, including livestock, coal, and the drug khat. While some sectors like telecommunications and money transfer services—specifically Dahabshiil, which transfers between $750 million and $1 billion annually across 44 countries—have thrived, there is a critical lack of data on the current war economy to inform development decisions.
• Maritime trade potential is hindered by a lack of land-based infrastructure and security, which makes economic risks too high for international investors. While ports in Berbera and Bosasso are well-situated, they are disconnected from Southern Somalia; the ports of Mogadishu and Kismayo could achieve global significance if sovereignty and security are established.
• Piracy off the coast of Somalia has caused massive economic damage, costing between US$ 6.6 and US$ 6.9 billion in 2011, which exceeds 110% of the country's annual GDP. In 2011, 275 out of 439 piracy attacks occurred off the Somali coast, and 67 attacks were recorded in the first half of 2012.
• To improve regional maritime security, the authors recommend using the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) as the focal point for development funds, implementing the Djibouti Code, establishing a regional maritime information centre, and supporting the creation of a 3,000-strong professional Somalia National Coast Guard.

APA

Leijenaar, A., & Walker, T. (n.d.). Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/rooting-out-somali-piracy-starts-on-shore

Chicago

Leijenaar, Annette, and Timothy Walker. Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/rooting-out-somali-piracy-starts-on-shore.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Leijenaar |first1=Annette |last2=Walker |first2=Timothy |title=Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/rooting-out-somali-piracy-starts-on-shore |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leijenaarndrooting, author = {Leijenaar, Annette and Walker, Timothy}, title = {{Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/rooting-out-somali-piracy-starts-on-shore}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }