Piracy in a failed state: How state-building can stabilize the situation off the Somali Coast?

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to examine an alternative approach to statebuilding in Somalia to resolve issues regarding maritime piracy off the Somali coast. The sharp increase in piracy in Somalia is often regarded as a consequence of the collapse of the State after 1991. Solutions for curtailing piracy therefore depend upon the reconstruction of the State in Somalia. However, as has been the case in many post-conflict countries, Somalia has experienced a number of unsuccessful attempts at state-building because the current state-building model based on the western conception of statehood does not account for the realities of Somali society. Reviving a unified Somalia is thus counter-productive to securing peace, order and stability. By closely examining state-building approaches, this paper shows that the' mediated state'approach is the most appropriate model not only for resolving issues regarding state-building, but also for tackling the root causes of piracy in Somalia.