7 - 13 December 2013 (Vol. 2; No.50/13) Sponsor the newsletters - Click Ask us how you can be a sponsor of this newsletter in 2013 - click here. Feedback on the newsletter is welcomed too. Pirates slip down in Lloyd's List 100; US jury cannot reach a verdict; Dutch give 10-year sentences – At one stage, pirates reached the number seven position in the Lloyd's List top 100, but this year as piracy off Somalia drops to a seven-year low, a pirate kingpin sneaks in at number ninety. The Somali pirate negotiator acquitted of piracy still faces serious charges, however, the jury have been unable to reach a verdict on hostage-taking charges. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, four pirates who had lured Dutch marines into an ambush were handed sentences between 6 and 10 years. India looks to expedite the trial of 120 Somali pirates languishing in their jails for over two years. Nigeria 's navy undergoes rapid development as calls for stiffer penalties for piracy and oil theft are made, including the House of Representative declaring no country could endure such “blatant rape of its resources”. Report claims the Cameroon soldiers thwarted an attack against a coastal cargo vessel with the result of several pirates reportedly killed. More West Africa states take delivery of patrol boats. Maybe not a shift of piracy but a definite change of focus to Gulf of Guinea piracy gains more ground. India warns about the dangers of unregistered floating armouries into its waters, raising further fears for the fate of 35 men held since last month. The coverage of the high risk area is questioned as the assessment of piracy threat off the Indian coast is flawed. PTSD rates are said to be much higher in PCASP than in [UK] military personnel. Somalia continues its move to return to the diplomatic fold and also appoints a new Prime Minister, and the Special Representative to UNSOM gives a 'told you so' briefing to the Security Council. The statement that aid agencies paid Al-Shabaab for permission to deliver aid to areas they controlled demonstrates the problems faced in providing humanitarian aid. A cargo vessel detained in Rhodes carrying illegal bullets sinks in harbour due to strong winds. In Yemen, a mortar attack raised further alarm, and the sever weather conditions in the Middle East sees possible disruptions in the Suez Canal, but snow for the first time in over 100 years astounds the region. The various military elements in the Horn of Africa/IOR see a flurry of handovers of Command. The combination of anti-piracy measures temporarily resolves the problem off Somalia, but "any one of a relatively small number of catalysts" could see the return of Somali pirates. MPHRP pleads for compassion in the case of the Captain held in Togo on aiding piracy charges so that he can return for the performance of the last rites for his child which died during his incarceration. A Greek shipping tycoon evades kidnap, not at sea, but in a suburb of Athens. Maersk has the biggest ship in the world, and in tribute to this, LEGO has designed a model which even includes the 'lucky coin' placed under the mast of each Maersk vessel; too late for a present for this Christmas. Contents: Regional Activity; Released by Pirates; Pirates in Court; Private Security; International Response; Piracy Cost; Seafarers' Plight; And Finally...; Piracy Incidents; Situational Map East Africa/Indian Ocean CASES OF piracy along the Indian Ocean coastline have reduced drastically, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions - Capital FM Kenya. DPP Keriako Tobiko attributed this to the establishment of a fully fledged anti-piracy unit within his office to deal with maritime piracy. He also said that navy forces from other countries operating within the Indian Ocean coastline together with the Kenya Defence Forces efforts to maintain security in Somalia have helped improve the situation. Tobiko applauded the continued efforts to fight the piracy threats saying, “Kenya has indeed achieved some milestones in the fight against piracy. These have included; the execution of MoUs and exchange of letters with other states involved in counter-piracy operations.” In a speech read by his deputy Kioko Kamula on Tuesday, the DPP noted that a total of 164 suspected pirates intercepted off the Coast of Somalia since the formation of Anti-Piracy Unit in 2006 have been prosecuted. BRIEFING TO the Security Council by Ambassador Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) - RBC Radio: Mr. President, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to introduce the Secretary-General’s report on Somalia. At the outset, I would like to thank the Council for its continued support to peace and state building in Somalia. The last three months in Somalia have been eventful. When I briefed the Council on 12 September, I warned that the impact of Somalia remaining a stronghold for terrorists would be felt well beyond Somalia’s borders; “From Bamako to Bangui” was the phrase. Tragically, later in September in the Westgate Mall in Nairobi we saw a shocking demonstration of that truth. As the Council knows, tackling the scourge of terrorism in Somalia requires a comprehensive approach. Political, military and development efforts are all needed. Somalia will be a stable partner in the region and the world when it has strong state institutions, including accountable and professional security forces, and a firm consensus among Somalis about how they wish to manage their affairs and resources. Reaching this agreement is primarily a political challenge. After twenty two years of conflict, I believe Somalis are not just ready – they are desperate to rise to that challenge. In today’s briefing I would like to update the Council on the progress that is being made and highlight some of the problems that still confront Somalia and its international partners. YEMEN LNG gas company has evacuated hundreds of workers from its Balhaf terminal on the Gulf of Aden, after a mortar round hit the site, an oil ministry official and employees said Sunday - The Daily Star Lebanon. Company staff, including foreigners, were evacuated to the capital on four planes as a precaution over fears of potential attacks on the terminal, employees said. The evacuation of non-essential staff, however, did not affect operations and liquefaction trains, which have a capacity of 6.7 million tonnes of LNG per year, the ministry official said. He said the plant employs some 1,200 staff and that the partial evacuation was decided after a mortar shell hit the port. Yemen LNG said a "minor explosion occurred" inside the plant on Friday, adding that the blast caused only slight damage to non-essential equipment and that a probe has been initiated. JAPANESE FOREIGN Minister Fumio Kishida told Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi in a meeting Wednesday that Tokyo will strengthen its support for Yemen's coast guard capacity- building aimed at the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, Japanese officials said - Global Post. During the meeting in Tokyo, Kishida also told his Yemeni counterpart of Japan's readiness to support Yemen's nation-building efforts, which stem largely from the 2011 Arab Spring pro- democracy movements, and its efforts to combat al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country. HIS EXCELLENCY President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today appointed Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed as the new Prime Minister of Somalia - RBC Radio. The President said: “I have appointed Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed , whom I believe is the man best equipped to lead the Somali government through the next stage of our country’s recovery and reform programme. He has an extremely impressive background in development and economics and a proven track record in a number of leadership positions within international organisations.” “although there is no mistaking the enormous challenges we face as a country I am confident he has what it takes to make a really positive difference in a short time. I call on Parliament to confirm his appointment in a timely fashion in the interests of Somalia.” THE PRESIDENT of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today accepted credentials from the newly appointed German Ambassador, Andreas Peschke (Photo 1), and the newly appointed Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mahmoud M. Auf (Photo 2), in Villa Somalia - RBC Radio. While welcoming the German Ambassador H.E Hassan Sh. Mohamud briefed him on the good and long relationship between Somalia and Germany, the President, said: “Somalia has benefited and is thankful for the many successful projects delivered by the German Government. Germany supports the development of our security forces, providing training and mentoring through the EU Training Mission. “The benefits of the improved situation are already being witnessed as our economy grows, we hope to compete in the European market shortly through the export of products such as Bananas, as Somalia used to do in the early 1990s.” President Hassan’s meeting with the Egyptian Ambassador discussed the historic relationship between Somalia and Egypt. “Our two countries have enjoyed a relationship dating back centuries. My government welcomes you as the new Ambassador and we look forward to working together in the area of security and diplomatic relations.” AID AGENCIES paid Somali militant group Al-Shabaab for permission to deliver aid in areas controlled by the Islamist group during a famine, a report by two think-tanks said on Monday - Trust.org. Harakat Al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabaab) imposed registration and security fees ranging from $500 to $10,000 on humanitarian agencies delivering aid in the areas it controlled. NGOs that paid the fee were also placed under surveillance.