DP World reiterates support for fight against piracy in Somalia

Dubai (WAM): Sultan Ahmad bin Sulayem, Chairman of the U.A.E.'s DP World, on Wednesday reiterated the global port operator’s support for creating jobs and setting up maritime facilities in Somalia as part of the fight against piracy in the Horn of Africa. In his opening statement, Bin Sulayem, said, "As part of our efforts to help address the root causes of piracy on land, we at DP World this year initiated a series of expert panels to identify the opportunities for investment in Somalia, the barriers to investment and how they might be overcome." He noted that the vast majority of the 40 to 50 people who volunteered their time to join the discussions at the conference in Dubai were Somalis, of all ages and from all walks of life, from politicians to business people to students, based in Somalia or part of the huge Somali diaspora. But all are absolutely passionate about rebuilding their country, added the head of DP World which co-hosted the two-day fourth counter-piracy conference with the U.A.E.'s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Around 600 delegates, including foreign ministers of various countries as well as top diplomats, naval officers and industry leaders gathered on Wednesday for the two-day annual conference in Dubai. "This year, we face a dual challenge – firstly, how we build on the gains we have achieved in battling piracy in the Gulf of Aden and bake in those gains by supporting Somalia’s development as a stable and robust economy, thereby creating opportunities and a future for its young people other than piracy or other criminal or terrorist activity. And, secondly, how we can translate the lessons we have learned in fighting piracy at sea and on land in the Horn of Africa to the even more geopolitically complicated region of West Africa, where attacks are more violent, where they take place mainly in territorial not international waters, and where the pirates can originate from as many as half a dozen countries – all of which are viable states with rule of law, and in some cases naval or coastguard capacity, unlike the circumstances that gave birth to piracy in Somalia." Bin Sulayem applauded the government and people of Somalia for "their hard work and determination to rebuild Somalia. We have seen that determination first hand." He noted that while Somalis look to the international community to invest in Somalia, "they will not look to the international community to "fix" their country – they will do that themselves." "They want to engage and empower their young people to participate in the economy through education and the creation of job opportunities; they support and encourage the moves to establish robust legal frameworks to underpin investment; and they agree that there needs to be a "one Somalia" approach to engage the entire community in rebuilding efforts." Unfortunately, he added, while piracy is a fast disappearing problem in the Gulf of Aden, the opposite is true in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea. "Solutions at sea and on land are complex and difficult to implement. " He cited estimates by Oceans Beyond Piracy that the total economic cost of maritime piracy in West Africa was as much as US$680 million in 2013. That compares with more than US$3 billion in East Africa, itself around a 50% decline on 2012. "While the economic cost may be smaller in West Africa, the human cost is just as appalling. More than 1800 seafarers were attacked in West African waters last year and two were killed. Since 2002, an estimated 45 seafarers have been killed during robberies at sea in the Gulf of Guinea." He described this as an urgent economic and humanitarian issue that will require the involvement and action of those of us in the shipping industry as well as those in the government sector. We have learned in our battle against piracy that there is no one solution; it requires a multifaceted approach that takes into account the political and socio-economic circumstances that nurture and encourage piracy as well as addressing the attacks at sea directly." Public-private partnership, at sea and on land, is, according to bin Sulayem, the only sustainable solution to addressing piracy in the short, medium and long term, wherever it may occur. Despite the fall in piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and the recovery underway in Somalia, let an estimated 37 seafarers are still being held captive – they have been held now for nearly three years, bin Sulayem further noted. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/international/1395271651575.html