NATO announced Wednesday that it has decided to extend the mandate of its ongoing anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia until the end of 2012.
The alliance's spokesman James Appathurai told reporters in Brussels on Wednesday that NATO ambassadors have "decided to extend NATO's anti-piracy mission through 2012." He added that their decision was based on "the assessment that this mission is making demonstrable contribution to increased safety for shipping and reduced success rates for pirates."
The move comes as the mandate of the alliance's current anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia is due to expire in August this year. The announcement came as five warships from separate NATO members were heading to the Somali coast to join in the ongoing international anti-piracy operations there.
It is understood that the five NATO warships heading to the Somali coast are from Britain, the United States, Italy, Turkey and Greece. They will replace the existing NATO fleet in the region and are expected to take over the anti-piracy operations on Friday.
The Somali coast, particularity the Gulf of Aden, has been infected with piracy in recent years. More than 160 pirate attacks were reported in the waters off Somalia from the beginning of last year.
The pirates have managed to hijack at least 34 vessels since the beginning of 2009, and are currently holding some 10 ships and 200 hostages. Generally, the crew and the vessels are returned unharmed on receiving the demanded ransom.
Somalia has been without a functioning government since the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre's government in 1991. Currently, a weak UN-backed interim government under President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is trying to enforce its authority in the country, most of which is controlled by various Islamist insurgent groups.
Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have continued despite the presence of several warships, deployed by navies of the NATO, the European Union, Russia, China, South Korea and India, in the region to protect cargo and cruise ships against piracy.
The UN Security Council has approved four resolutions since June to promote international efforts in fighting the escalating piracy problem off the coast of Somalia, authorizing countries involved in anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast to conduct land and air attacks on Somali pirates after obtaining prior permission from the Somali government.
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