Search results

A new report from the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) charts the emergence of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Al-Shabab, their potential convergence, and the involvement of ‘foreigners’ in both organisations. The report, Yemen and Somalia:

Widening their scope of operations, Somali pirates are posing an ever greater challenge to regional governments. While energy producers are rethinking their export strategies, governments are concerned that the Horn of Africa’s instability will encroach on the Gulf region’s southern flank. Yemen is especially vulnerable as the collapse of export revenues piles further pressure on President Saleh. GSN analyses developments in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia and Yemen, and talks exclusively to the Southern Movement’s new figurehead Ali Salem Al-Baydh.

Somali pirates are said to have earned at least $30m last year, although some estimates are much higher. This compares with the unrecognised Republic of Puntland's formal budget of around $20m/yr, with revenues gleaned from customs, airport and land revenues. Many pirates are said to be based in Puntland, which GSN's Nadine Marroushi visited last year, on terms which demanded a heavy security complement. Somalia's ruling Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdulahi Omar has said pirates can earn as much as $150m/yr from ransoms.

Policy-makers are looking at Somalia’s politics to tackle the root causes of the problem, in a fractured state where there have been 15 attempts to create a viable national government since the 1992 overthrow of late dictator Siad Barre.