Region | Somalia

Africa must lead anti-piracy fight, says Nato chief

Nato is committed to helping improve security in Africa but expects African states to take the lead in fighting piracy off the continent's shores, Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said late on Wednesday.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 14:06 November 20, 2008
  • Gulf News

Accra: Nato is committed to helping improve security in Africa but expects African states to take the lead in fighting piracy off the continent's shores, Nato Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said late on Wednesday.

De Hoop Scheffer was responding to a call by Ghana's defence minister for closer collaboration between African regional bodies and Nato to combat piracy off Africa's coasts and tackle other security problems such as money laundering.

The Nato chief spoke during an international alert over piracy off the Horn of Africa, where Somali pirates have caused havoc in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes connecting Europe to Asia and the Middle East.

"This continent still has many problems, but it is my strong conviction that Africans should be in the lead to find solutions for those problems, and not others," de Hoop Scheffer said after arriving in Ghana on Wednesday.

"I do think that Nato could do a lot in being instrumental, for instance, by intensifying training for the African Union standby force to enrich their experience, which could then be used to reach out appropriately where it is needed to solve Africa's problems," he said.

Ghanaian Defence Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah called for closer collaboration between the African Union and sub-regional organisations like the Economic Community of West African States in particular to fight a rise in piracy off West Africa.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

Related Articles

  1. Pirates demand ransom for tanker

    Pirates demand ransom for tanker

    Pirates demand ransom for tanker

  2. Pirates spark global alarm

    Pirates spark global alarm

    Pirates spark global alarm

  3. Somali pirates seize Greek bulk carrier

    Somali pirates seize Greek bulk carrier -maritime group

  4. Ships diverted after seizure of tanker

    Ships diverted after seizure of tanker

  5. Somali government office bombed, two killed

    Somali government office bombed, two killed

  6. 'Scourge of piracy must be eradicated'

    'Scourge of piracy must be eradicated'

Somalia

  1. Pan-Arab task force to join fight against piracy

  2. Somali judge who jailed pirates, insurgents killed

  3. Somali pirates seize cargo ship with 22 crew

  4. UN accuses US of delaying food aid to Somalia

  5. Somali groups fight over abducted British couple

All articles in Somalia

More from Region

Gulf News
Popular in News
News Editor's choice