Piracy as a Threat to International Peace and Security

Abstract

The study focuses on specific issues in the system of international security related to modern-day piracy. The first part examines the adequacy of the classical approach treating piracy as a common crime with an international element, comparing contemporary piracy to other illegal activities committed by non-state actors. The second part deals with the status of the threat to international peace and security potentially applicable to piracy. The essay concludes with a brief case study on the role of the UN Security Council in suppressing piracy off the coast of Somalia under norms of international security law.