On April 4, the International Security Program and the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center hosted a meeting of the Atlantic Council Maritime Piracy Task Force, chaired by Atlantic Council Board Director Franklin D. Miller. This is the fourth meeting in a series of discussions looking into the challenge of piracy and possible strategic approaches.

At the event, Brigadier General Jørgen Jacobsen, Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Denmark, Colonel Hans Granlund, Naval and Assistant Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Sweden, and Captain Izuru Ikeuchi, Naval and Assistant Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Japan, briefed the group on the counter-piracy strategies and operations of their respective countries.

Taking part in the meeting were representatives of the US government, including military personnel, and the private sector. As maritime piracy has emerged as a potential high profile challenge for the United States, its allies, trading partners, and global commerce, the Atlantic Council is leading a limited-duration, limited-scope project designed to produce actionable and policy-relevant analysis and recommendations on US approaches to the maritime piracy challenge in the complex international context. The Task Force consists of a series of meetings by a standing group of high-level strategic actors–former US administration officials, distinguished members of academia, international organizations, transportation/logistics industry executives, and occasional ad hoc expert invitees to define the problem and develop courses of action for the formation of US policy. The Task Force will make explicit, implementable recommendations to key policy groups, including the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs, the National Security Council, and other elements of the interagency policy community.