23 September 2009
State Department Official Discusses Naval Piracy
CO.NX event transcript, September 23
Dave Foran, an official with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, answered questions in a September 23 CO.NX event on combating piracy.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
CO.NX Event Transcript
Safeguarding the Seaways: Counterpiracy Update
Guest: Dave Foran
Date: September 23, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. EDT (13:00 GMT)
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): Join Dave Foran of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs for the latest on international efforts against pirates operating in the waters off the coast of Somalia. for more information on the U.S. efforts against pirates please visit http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/piracy/index.htm.
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): Submit questions below. Once we receive them they will turn RED. Thank you.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): We will begin at the top of the hour. Thanks for joining us today!
IRCAbidjan 2: Hi Foran. This IRC Abidjan. We are connected
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Welcome! Good to see you.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): We'll start at the top of the hour. I see your questions coming in. Thanks!
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Welcome! I see that many people have just joined us. We'll start at the top of the hour.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Hello and welcome to our chat on piracy! We're glad you are here today. We are now joined by our guest, Dave Foran.
IRCAbidjan 3: Abidjan STEPHANE: Why the US Government don`t associate local polices forces to fight very strongly against piracy?
Dave Foran: Good Morning All and welcome to my second piracy web chat. I look forward to answering as many questions as I can over the next hour.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Please feel free to introduce yourselves and tell us where you are from. I'm joining you today from Washington DC.
IRCAbidjan 2: Georges: Is piracy economically oriented?
Dave Foran: Piracy is like any other criminal enterprise. It exists to make money for its perpatrators.
Jane, Kisumu: I sent in a question, I am Jane from Kisumu.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Welcome!
IRCAbidjan 6: GUY Brian
IRCAbidjan 8: abidjan: sinan-is piracy in somalia linked to the conflictual situation between america and the local people
Dave Foran: Piracy is not directed at just the U.S., in fact only two of the more than 100 piracy attempts this year were against a US carriers. The primary victims of piracy are those living in East Africa who depend on the sea for the delivery of food and other products. Because of piracy, the costs of those delivers have risen.
IRCAbidjan 7: what is african leaders position about piracy attacks and what do you think about it
Dave Foran: African leaders, throughout the continent have condemned piracy.
IRCAbidjan 6: can united states alone fight against piracy in Somalia?
Dave Foran: The nice thing is that we don't ahve to. There are now 45 countries participating in the international effort to fight piracy off of Somalia through the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
IRCAbidjan 2: Georges: Is the Al qaida network connected to the issue of sea piracy in Eastern Africa?
Dave Foran: We have seen bo evidende that Al Qaida is involved in piracy.
IRCAbidjan 6: Is it right to argue that the increasing numbers of piracy attacks in Africa are related to the inaction of african governments?
Dave Foran: I don't think so. The key to solving the problem of piracy is bringing stability to Somalia.
IRCAbidjan 5: pacha, why must we fight against piracy?
Dave Foran: Piracy is a crime, as I mentioned, it raises the cost of bringing goods into East Africa. It endangers seafarers and fishermen trying to make a living.
NEVES: Dear Donna, in face of total Somali official desintegration concerning law and order, why not retaliate directly at the pirates´bases of operation, mother-ships, family-homes, etc. ? They all stand by the sea anyway...
Dave Foran: This seems like the easy answer, but it is not. Pirates are intermingled in local communities. Striking pirates, even if we are sure they are pirates, would likely harm innocent people. As for mother-ships. These are generally pirated vessels that have crew members as hostages. It's not quite as easy as it seems.
IRCAbidjan 9: Abidjan; stefen what is definitely the policy of America about piracy all over the world
Dave Foran: The United States opposes piracy and will work with our international partners to stop it.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Please feel free to share your opinion in our poll.
IRCAbidjan 3: Abidjan STEPHANE; Why the US think that the problem of piracy is a crusial one?from STEPHANE in Abidjan
Dave Foran: piracy is important because it interfers with global commerce, threatens innocent seafarers. The international community has worked together for centuries to stamp it out.
IRCAbidjan 8: abidjan: sinan-can education of the young people be a means of slowing or ending it?
Dave Foran: We have to work to provide opportunities to young Somalis so they are not tempted to engage in this criminal activity. There is an International Contact Group on Somalia that is working to help stabilize Somalia.
IRCAbidjan 6: what is practically the actions conducted by the Somalian government in his area?
Dave Foran: As you all know the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is fighting for its survival. It's job is to try and work with other Somali factions, Puntland and Somaliland to defeat the terrorist group Al Shabab and provide basic services for the Somali people. If it can do this, it will go a long way towards helping to root out piracy.
IRCAbidjan 5: pacha, in which region of the world piracy is mostly practiced?
Dave Foran: While there are instances of piracy in many parts of the world, the majority of pirate attacks are in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basis. This is the focus of U.S. and international counter-piracy efforts.
IRCAbidjan 2: What is the diffinite solution to solve the issue of piracy in East Africa?
Dave Foran: The ultimate solution is a stable Somalia controlling its territory. International efforts against piracy are treating a symptom of Somali instability.
IRCAbidjan 9: Gislaine: we know that much amount of money are given to pirates in order to release hostages. Don't this encourage the perpatraters of piracy?
Dave Foran: Absolutely, at the end of the day piracy is a business, an illegal business, but a business nonetheless. The payment of ransom attracts additional pirate acts.
IRCAbidjan 6: why are Somalian so activist as far as piracy is concern taken into account the fact in not only in Somalia that there is sea?
Dave Foran: probelm is the instability along a 1500 mile coastline. Somali pirates are taking advantage of that instabiliy. Ti me it is no different than drug trafficking, another criminal business. Drug traffickers take advantage of locals where they can grow drugs and move them to a market. It's no different for pirates. They are taking advantage of the lack of rule of law in a large area to carry-out their criminal enterprise.
IRCAbidjan 3: Abidjan STEPHANE: Is Africa always responsible for it instability?
Dave Foran: There are lots of theories and arguments concerning instability in Africa. I leave that to the historians and social scientists. We are trying to deal with the reality on the ground today. Most of Africa is quite stable at this time
IRCAbidjan 5: During the Fourth Plenary Meeting held in New York on September 10th 2009, among the participating countries, Somalia is absent?
Dave Foran: No, in fact the Somali Transitional Federal Government participated in the meeting. It addressed the group and talked about its goals for fighting piracy.
Desmond: Good morning. This is Desmond Davies from London. Editor of African Prospects magazine. What about the other major piracy issue: that of fishing piracy, which is destroying the economies of African coastal nations? European fishing fleets, subsidised by the EU, are destroying the economies of these countries. According to the British government, these countries are losing $1 billion a year. Will the US help in tackling this problem?
Dave Foran: Illegal unregulated fishing is a problem n the waters around Africa. It is not a justification for piracy.
tracy: HI
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Hello, thanks for joining us.
IRCAbidjan 7: don't you think that the problem of piracy is due to the lack of means of the african governments who are so preoccupied to solve the differents problems of their countries?
Dave Foran: I think the bulk of the piracy problem surrounds the lack of stability in one African country, Somalia. Although, there have been reported cases of piracy in other parts of Africa, these are few and far between and do not require the kind of international coalition that arose in response to Somali piracy.
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): For more information on counter-piracy, please go to: http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/piracy/index.htm
GumpB: Thank you for that link
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): You are welcome!
Julius Mbaluto: Hi, I'm Julius Mbaluto in London, Piracy is increasing within the Gulf of Aden everyday. It's economic impact within the entire great lakes region quite enormous. What is the US government doing to ensure that piracy does not in the long-run render the entire region a hotspot for terror? Are there plans between the US and member states of the great lakes region to co-operate, train together and share intelligence to combat the problem? If not, I think it is the best way forward for piracy is no longer a Somali problem but a global one.
Dave Foran: The number of cases of piracy in the Gulf of Aden have gone down over the past few months. It's unclear whether this is due solely to the onset of the monsoon season or if other factors, like the international nval coalition patrolling in the GOA is having an effect. The U.S. government is working with over 40 partner nations through the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia to ensure that military efforts are properly coordinated, pirates who are captured are prosecuted, industry takes appropriate action to self-protect and the message is getting out of the harmful effects of piracy.
BRETT: Should the AU or international community help Puntland establish a coast guard/naval force to fight pirarcy or is this just rewarding bad behavior by the political actors in Puntland that may have a hand in it.
Dave Foran: There are a number of proposals the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) along with international and bilateral donors are considering to fight piracy on the land including in Puntland.
Enoch Opuka 2: But the USA is NOT helping to brining stability to Somalia!!!!
Dave Foran: The U.S. cannot bring stability to Somalia alone. We are working with the international community including support for the African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia to help the TFG bring stability.
IRCAbidjan 6: how to bring Stability in Somalia
Dave Foran: That's a good question. People much smarter than me have been working on this issue for nearly 20 years. I think we have a chance now to work with the TFG to help stabilize Somalia. This will be a long and difficult process, but I believe we have a chance at succeeding.
Johnie: Johnie from Kenya, it is rumoured that piracy money is being laundered in to the Kenya real estate especially in Nairobi and Mombasa where booming business in the sector is at an all time high. Even with the economic meltdown that affected the rest of the world, Nairobi was spared, does the US have similar information?
Dave Foran: Johnie, One of the issues we are working on is trying to determine where the proceeds of ransom apyments to pirates are going. We know that upwards ofn $50 million in ransom has been paid over the past frew years. It is equally cleat that the twenty-year old pirates are not pocketing all that money. We need to get a better handle on who are the people financing and enabling pirates.
IRCAbidjan 5: What are concrete; indeed accurate solutions have taken faced with this phenomenon?
Dave Foran: As I mentioned, the solution is on the ground in Somalia. We are taking a number of concrete stepas to lessen the impact of piracy. We are working with industry to ensure that all vessels tarnsiting near Somalia take appropriate self-protection measures. We have assembled an unprecedented coaltion of countries providing naval assets to patrol and defend against pirate attacks. We are working to ensure that captured piartes are prosecuted and we are working on a public diplomacy strategy to convince Somalis of the harmful effects of piracy.
IRCAbidjan 9: Abidjan, Stefen pp: so proctically, what is done, what is going to be done to fight very efficiently piracy on the coastlines that go through it.
Dave Foran: The Contact Group is encouraging international coordination among naval patrols, promoting shipping self-protection measures, arranging for the prosecution of suspected pirates, and building the capacity of countries victimized by piracy to interdict and prosecute these maritime criminals. At the Contact Group meeting last week at UN Headquarters in New York, we encouraged members to adopt straightforward priorities: (1) implement best management practices in commercial fleets to minimize their vulnerability to pirate attacks; (2) discourage ransom payments to pirates; (3) prosecute pirates in national courts when national ships and crews are attacked; and (4) support capacity building programs to help countries in the region better prevent pirate attacks and to prosecute pirates and their enablers.
IRCAbidjan 3: Abidjan STEPHANE: Does exist a law against piracy?
Dave Foran: Virtually all countries have laws against piracy. In addition there are a number of treaties that recognize piracy as a crime.
IRCAbidjan 4: alex what is the interest of the United States to fight against piracy?
Dave Foran: The United States Government's role in this international partnership against piracy in the Horn of Africa is consistent with our traditional interest in ensuring freedom of navigation, safety of mariners, and protection of American citizens.
IRCAbidjan 6: GUY BRYAN should the somalia only rely on AMERICA TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
Dave Foran: Of course not. That's why Contact Group has 45 participating nations, seven international organizations (the African Union, the Arab League, the European Union, INTERPOL, the International Maritime Organization, NATO, and the UN Secretariat), and two major maritime industry groups, BIMCO and INTERTANKO, taking part as observers.
IRCAbidjan 5: Hello, here is James ASSANVOH: AS Secretary of State Clinton put it: '' We may be dealing with a !&th Century crime, but we need to bring 21st Century solutions to bear.'' don't you think that this state of fact shows that the US have failed curbinb the flail?
Dave Foran: I don't think we have failed at all. In less than a year after the rise of Somali piracy, we worked to form an international coalition of countries and organizations that are working together to fight piracy. We have seen the success rate of pirate attacks go from upwards of 50% in 2007 to less than 25% today. My previous answer reviewed a number of the concrete steps we have taken against piracy. There's more to do, but we have made significant progress.
IRCAbidjan 9: Abidjan, Stefen: if the problem of piracy in the eastern part of Africa is related to instability in somalia. isn't is useful to start solving the inner country's problem before fighting piracy straightly?
Dave Foran: The CGPCS – not to be confused with the International Contact Group for Somalia (ICG-Somalia) – is focused like a laser on combating piracy around the Horn of Africa. The CGPCS works to support and coordinate international efforts to prevent pirate attacks and to hold pirates and their financiers accountable for their crimes, while the ICG-Somalia focuses on land-based efforts to help Somalia rebuild and extend governance in its territory. By design, these efforts are related but separate in order to leverage operational and political support by countries who can contribute to the naval effort without distracting from their support for Somalia. For more information, see http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entries/seaways_counter-piracy/
IRCAbidjan 6: Guy Brian: who is in command of this american policy against piracy?
Dave Foran: Ultimately, the President is in command of this policy. The State Department works closely with the Department of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration on our piracy policies.
IRCAbidjan 4: what is president obama strategy to fight piracy or better to avoid it?
Dave Foran: Visit our Web site, at: http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/piracy/index.htm
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): Please let us know what you think about this progam by voting in our poll. You can also share your thoughts, questions, and opinions on our facebook page: http://co-nx.state.gov.
amir khan: so many useful insights, this is a very edifying session, thanks Dave, and Kristin too
Dave Foran: You're most welcome!
Enoch Opuka 2: Piracy is attributed to lack of strong gov in Mogadishu - Why is the USA not helping in stabilising Somalia
Dave Foran: Last question, thanks so much for your interest and your excellent questions. I'm sorry I did not have time to get to all of them. As I mentioned the U.S. is working with the Somali TFG, AMISOM and others to help stabilize Somalia. This is a long-term process, but we believe it can succeed. Thanks again. Dave
CO.NX Moderator (Kristin): We thank you all for joining us today. It's great to hear from you.
IRCAbidjan 5: pacha, it was very interesting, thanks for all
IRCAbidjan 2: DIOH: Thanks so much! This program has broaden my view upon the delicate issue of piracy. Thank you so much again!
IRCAbidjan 4: alex I would like to thank you to give us the floor to give our point of view about this topic we’d like you to give us more informations for our next meeting thank you very much
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): Thanks everyone. The session is now closed. Please join our online CO.NX community at http://co-nx.state.gov.
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