Kenya a Dumping Ground For Pirates

Kenya, Africa (Apr 29) – Reports focused to the international pirates along the “Indian Ocean” coasts say that young men abducting the commercial shipments are increasing and were not defeated as expected. Pirating has started from Somalia, a country with the second longest coast in Africa. Somalia government ousted in 1992 as the state faces to a long-term severe civil war and unrest. The country has never returned to be a safe place since the civil war fall. The Horn of Africa neighbor states remained sufferers where the economy, security, and regional development have been reduced to the grounds.

Pirates, as a threat to the international shipping have become a direct impact on Kenya and many other countries. Aside from the economic interests, there is a shared interest in robust response to piracy. A recent report says EU and member states provided 100 million Kenyan shillings through the UN office for Drugs and Crime program since May 2009 with much more to add as part of a major cooperation agreement. In Kenya, preparations on countering pirates were developed extensively while upgrading prisons, support given to the trial and the detention of pirates and as well new facilities for courts, police, and public persecution advancement were put in place. The European Union pledged their technical support as the EU and Kenya stand at the forefront of international efforts to combat piracy. The international community is also working to improve prison conditions inside Somalia to enable the return of the convicted pirates serve their part of their prison sentences within their country.

Kenya interest is under attack as pirates approach further within the regional waters.

Kenyans wanted stable Somalis for long, Kenya, apart from being a victim of economic and security interest, it has sought for its role in a larger international effort to receive help in helping Somalia’s interest of returning governance. The latest attacks happened on the Kenyan flagged ship MV Sakoba that was hijacked with 10 Kenyans on board. While talking on the failures on the economy the Kenya Shippers Council explained, their fears over shipping companies those are willing to stop their overall operations with Mombasa port, because of the increase of their monthly import costs.

 “Without the well coordinated international effort to tackle piracy at sea, those impacts would be much worse” said the head of the EU delegation for Kenya in a report on international trade.

Sea-Pirate “funds earned from ship abductions” threaten defenseless economy in Africa.

Kenya government is extensively objecting pirates’ investments within Kenyan soil and said it will never allow that sea-pirates savings to economically boost Kenya. Investigations carried out showed that Somali pirates have brought cash and expensive materials to businesses in Kenya whereby larger investments were instantly built up. Eastleigh Market, the largest commercial market of its kind in Kenya has developed to become an up-to-the-minute (modernized) market previously under investments from rich businesspersons from Somalia’s capital city, Mogadishu. Several pirate reserves were also attached to businesses already in Eastleigh Markets in Nairobi. new built up investments in Kenya, currently investigated include former pirate investors buying lands for residential lodges, chain supermarkets, well maintained Internet Cafés, brand new international Money Transfer companies, Shopping Malls, Transport companies, glass buildings for hiring, plus grand luxurious Hotels in Mombasa resort. Last year the government accused the sea-pirate funds of passing its borders with Somalia and has a direct impact to the Kenya’s economy. Several pirates run away heading directions to the far Asia (Malaysia), reports say some encountered Malaysian security on the ground, as a time, the world is fighting sea-pirates. Economic researchers have estimated that the billions of US dollars earned from the shipping abductions in the Indian Ocean coast will not only worsen the vulnerable economy of the East African neighbors; but will have a threatening impact on all over the poor continent.

Burhan Hassan

WorldNewsVine – Kenya.

Posted by Jim Alexander on April 29, 2010. Filed under Africa Regional News,Eastern Africa,International News,News - Africa,Terrorism - Africa,WorldNewsVine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.