Djibouti conference to focus on Somalian pirates

The international shipping community is looking at the upcoming Djibouti conference in January next year to make some headway in tackling the rampant piracy in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, with the hope of forming an anti-piracy naval force.

Speaking at a seminar on Piracy on High Seas organised by the Association of Master Mariners, Calcutta, L K Panda, principal officer and joint director general of shipping, government of India, said that the Arab League of nations are also likely to meet in January as the oil trade in the region has been affected on account of the Somalian pirates.

"Nearly 12% of the world's oil cargo moves through the Gulf of Aden, and its 659 miles of coastline off Somalia is susceptible to attack besides the high seas. So far the approach from individual countries sparing their naval force has been fragmented. A coordinated move is required urgently.", Panda said.