LONDON, UK ─
February 20, 2012 ─ The Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) Project, a privately
funded initiative based in Denver Colorado, hosted a Somali counter-piracy
messaging workshop in London on February 15-16 that was co-sponsored with
the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the United States
Department of State. The event brought together more than 50 counter-piracy
experts representing governments, international organizations, naval forces,
the shipping industry, and seafarer groups to develop more effective Somali
counter-piracy messaging strategies. The participants emphasized the importance
of identifying and de-conflicting the myriad messaging efforts through better
international coordination. The workshop mapped current and planned
counter-piracy messaging initiatives — and over 30 distinct programs were
identified. Participants therefore called for the harmonization of
strategic messaging and to further develop effective Somali counter-piracy
messaging practices that will feed into the ongoing work of the Contact Group
on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) as the key international forum to
help harmonize the multitude of Somali counter-piracy messaging efforts; and
will complement the London Conference on Somalia to be held on Thursday, which
will bring together more than 50 countries and international organizations to
agree a new action-oriented approach to the issues facing Somalia. The group
also developed recommendations for ways to enhance cooperation and coordination
through the leadership of CGPCS Working Group 4, chaired by Ambassador Ashraf
Mohsen of Egypt, who attended the conference.
In a public event
held to discuss the results, the group emphasized the crucial role of messaging
and public diplomacy as key components in a comprehensive approach to address
the problem of Somali piracy. According to Anna Bowden from Oceans Beyond
Piracy, media messaging is an important part of making the public understand
the sizable human and economic costs associated with piracy. “We have
documented that piracy cost industry and governments almost $7 Billion last
year — but the real story is that 99% of these costs are not invested in a
sustainable solution and must be paid every year until the piracy threat is
significantly reduced.”
James Hughes,
Chair of CGPCS Working Group 1 and Deputy Head of Security Policy at the UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, attended the public event following the
workshop and commented that, “This was an important, well-timed event, given
its proximity to the London Conference on Somalia. Coordinated messaging
is a key part of a comprehensive international approach to countering piracy,
which in itself needs to be seen as part of a comprehensive approach to the
issues facing the people of Somalia.”
For more
information about the work shop or the Oceans Beyond Piracy Project, contact
Jens V. Madsen (+1 303.709.4776) or Anna Bowden (+1 303.709.5498).
ANNA BOWDEN
Maritime Industry
Initiatives, Program Manager
Oceans Beyond
Piracy
Mobile: +1 303.709.5498
Office:
+1.303.533.1702
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Maritime Experts Call for Better Coordinated Counter-Piracy Messaging
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