Pirates of Somalia: The Curse of the Failed State via CIPE Development Blog
The recent hijacking of a Ukrainian ship by the pirates plaguing the lawless coast of Somalia is the latest outward manifestation of a failed state. The most immediate reaction of the outside world was to come up with prescriptions to improve the naval security of Somali waters through initiatives such as inter-governmental coalitions against the pirates, military escorts of vessels carrying food to Somalia, or an internationally-sponsored coast guard. But while increasing security may alleviate the current excesses of the pirates, it does not address the reason why so many Somalis resort to means of piracy and violence. As the Economist notes,
The harder, underlying problem is Somalia itself. With no proper government since 1991, it has been a bloody kaleidoscope of competing clans...