“We need to have a task force in the region. We found that there is no concerted efforts in the region especially those in the Red Sea, due to the presence of international forces… there’s a need to coordinate and consolidate efforts in the region to secure navigational movement. We need to have a unified Arab strategy, following proposed steps,” Colonel Mahmoud Al Zarooni of the UAE Naval Forces said.
“The Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea… requires intensified efforts from all countries and a unified approach to end piracy,” he pointed out. It calls for a unified approach that includes “taking Somalia out of instability”; help develop the coast guards of some countries in the region; sharing and collecting information and available technologies such as satellites in locating ships; an integrated strategy that includes Arab military presence; training of ships’ crew on how to respond to attacks; identifying safe passages for ships; adoption of unified agreement that allows the use of weapons; and the establishment of courts in the region and legal procedures according to international and human rights law. According to Dr Ahmed Salem Al Wahishi, director of Yemen International Affairs Centre (YIAC), piracy is not only a threat to the region but also to other countries.
The Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea are vital international trade routes, and a large percentage of the world’s oil pass through these areas. Thus, any challenge to maritime security in this region must be addressed with the highest priority. “The threat is still ongoing. In particular last year, about 8 million euros (Dh38.26 million) were paid to Somali pirates to release Filipino and Danish sailors from the Gulf of Aden,” he said.
