Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Responses under International Maritime Law

In 2011, the UN recognized the problem of general piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea. However, the international community and regional authorities have failed to deter this problem thus far. I will compare this situation to the successful dealings with piracy in Somalia, of which existing conditions and adaptations of law allowed for international involvement to restore order and eliminate the feasibility of the crime. Anti-piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has unfortunately been ineffective due to international law conflicting with domestic laws and politics. I will discuss several issues, such as jurisdictional limitations, ineffective criminal justice in local courts, complex local politics, and ambiguity regarding the application of piracy and terrorism laws, to demonstrate the complexity and ineffectiveness of current actions. I will conclude that, although both East and West African piracy emerged as a result of “weak states,” the contradictions and limitations of international law have created a sustainable climate for piracy to flourish in West Africa