The collective efforts of the international community have helped reduce pirate attacks off Somalia Coast in the last two years, according to Jennifer Mcintyre, US Consul General, Chennai.

There has been a 75 per cent decline in Somali pirate attacks from 2011 to 2012 with no major incident reported in the Indian Ocean in nearly two years, she said while speaking at a conference here on Maritime Trade and Security. She also stressed the need to maintain concerted efforts and cooperation by the international community to continue to suppress piracy.

As the piracy threatened trade flows to and from Asia, the United States had helped establish the Contact Group on Piracy off the cost of Somalia in 2009. Working together to establish multi national naval patrols and to prosecute and incarcerate pirates had effectively checked this menace to trade and security.

Today the group includes more than 80 nations, non-governmental and international organisations, industry and civil society groups working together to fight piracy. As a founding member of the group, she pointed out that India have shown great leadership in confronting and combating piracy stemming from Somalian waters.

The stretch of sea from the Indian Ocean through to the Pacific is one of the world’s most vibrant trade and energy routes linking world economies and driving development and prosperity, she added.

Related Topics