Impact of piracy on Somalia: Society, economy, and state building

Abstract

Somali pirates have hijacked more than 270 ships and attacked over 1,100 vessels from 1995 to 2014 (IMB, 2014). Reports by the International Maritime Bureau estimate that more than 3,700 crew members have been held hostage in various parts of Somalia from 2006 to 2014. During those years, pirates have collected millions of dollars in ransom. Ironically, in the narratives surrounding the emergence of piracy in the Horn of Africa, a great deal has been written about the threats it has posed to global security and world trade (OBP, 2013). Yet missing from these accounts has been the impact of piracy on the immediate region of East Africa and particularly on Somalia. In this chapter, we examine the negative effects that piracy has inflicted on Somali society, economy, and security, and on its state-building activities.