European Union Counter Piracy Strategy in Somalia
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Date
2025-06
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CEDRED
Abstract
The main purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of European Union’s strategy in tackling the root causes of piracy. The European Union's (EU) has put efforts to address maritime security in the Horn of Africa. This has particularly been in the case of Somalia piracy, from 2008 to 2023, where a response focused on a complex regional challenge. The study analyzed the EU’s Operation Atalanta, alongside its broader strategies. This included political instability, economic deprivation and weak governance. Through employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrated qualitative data from policy documents and interviews for quantitative data on piracy incidents and economic indicators. Findings revealed that the root causes persisted due to limited onshore development and governance reforms, irrespective of Operation Atalanta that significantly reduced piracy attacks, achieving a 95% decline by 2015. The EU’s naval presence disrupted pirate operations. Although economic desperation and clan-based networks sustained low-level threats. The theoretical framework that grounded the study were Critical Security Studies (CSS) and security dilemma theories. The theories highlighted the necessity of addressing immediate threats and structural deficiencies. Literature review explored the EU maritime security policies, Somalia’s socio-political context and international counter-piracy efforts. Literature identified gaps in long-term state-building. Despite collaborative efforts with regional actors, challenges such as corruption and resource constraints hindered progress. The study concluded that the EU’s approach was effective in symptom suppression however less so in systemic change. The study recommends on enhanced investment in Somalia’s governance and economic resilience.
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Citation
Otieno, O. S & Onyango, E. O. (2025). European Union Counter Piracy Strategy in Somalia. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 9(6), 95 – 102