Counter-Piracy

Piracy off the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean is a global challenge. Fighting piracy is a high priority for the Danish government. The government has therefore formulated a multi-annual and multi-pronged strategy for Danish efforts against piracy.

---

The absence of a functioning central authority and the collapse of law and order in Somalia, combined with great poverty, has led to a sharp increase in piracy off the 1800 sea mile-long coastline of Somalia. Since 2009, piracy has also grown in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The increase in pirate activity invokes great personal costs to the people held hostage and their relatives. Also the people who work on board the ships transiting the waters are affected.  In addition, piracy has had a significant negative impact on international commercial shipping and trade, which again influences the economies of East African countries, which are experiencing declining trade and rising commodity prices.

Piracy is a challenge of global proportions. For a maritime nation like Denmark, that handles approximately 10 per cent of the global maritime shipping measured by value, the problem is substantial. The fight against piracy is therefore of high priority for the Danish government.
The government has developed a strategy for the Danish counter-piracy effort. The strategy establishes a coherent, multi-annual framework for the comprehensive Danish effort to combat piracy. The Danish effort is placed within an international context, and include bilateral and multilateral political, military, legal and capacity building initiatives. The overall objective of the Danish assistance is to contribute to ensuring that the waters off the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean are safe and navigable for Danish and international shipping trade. Read more about the Danish efforts to combat piracy in the Strategy for the Danish Counter-Piracy Effort below.