The new report on piracy of the UN Secretary General released on 22.10.2014 provides a current evaluation of the piracy situation and calls for sustained efforts (document S/2014/740). According to a news release the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman told the Security Council, that progress was “fragile and reversible”, stressing that the underlying political instability and lack of alternative livelihoods in the East African country must be addressed if gains were to be sustained.
“Without the continued deterrence support provided by the international naval presence and self-protection measures adopted by the shipping industry, large-scale piracy could return,” Pirates were still capturing vessels for ransom. “We should not only ask what more needs to be done to ensure that the scourge does not return”, he said, “but also what kind of support could be provided to Somalia so the country is able to respond to the threat without depending on the continuous support of international navies.” Indeed, piracy was a sign of a political problem, requiring a political solution. State collapse was at its root. Security efforts could mitigate the impacts but did not address the underlying causes.