Modern piracy : regional cooperative security : Southeast Asia and the Middle East

Graduation date: 2011Over the past ten years, reports of piracy and other forms of maritime violence have been dramatically on the rise. As these reports increase, so too does international attention toward how to solve this. This thesis examines the development of cooperative maritime security efforts in both Southeast Asia and the Middle East, paying particular attention to the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden region, as they pertain to turning the tide of violence in their respective maritime domains. Recent regional efforts to combat maritime security threats in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime piracy in particular, have drawn comparisons to similar efforts undertaken in the Straits of Malacca in the early parts of the past decade. However, such comparisons fail to address the unique nature of the politics and history of security cooperation in the Horn of Africa, particularly the way states in the region tend to rely upon external security support from more powerful nations, such as the United States and Japan. Additionally, often times these experts fail to discuss the cultural idiosyncrasies of the various nations. Despite some similarities shared between the two regions, the states of the Horn of Africa must deal with issues of prioritization, regional animosities, and external dependence before they can attempt to develop cooperative maritime security arrangements akin to those existing in Southeast Asia. Success will require a concerted effort by states in the region and realization by the United States of its role in supporting effective security cooperation in the region