Piracy shifting focus from government

BRUSSELS, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Piracy in Somali coastal waters has shifted focus away from the country's failing government, a report from the International Crisis Group says.

The report, released Tuesday by the Belgium-based independent non-governmental organization, says the transitional government in Somalia has failed to create a broad-based coalition to govern the country and is collapsing while infighting and rebel violence continues to escalate, the Crisis Group reported.

The report, titled, "Somalia: To Move Beyond the Failed State," says the growing focus on the violent piracy in the Gulf of Aden has shifted attention away from the root problems of the failing government. Crisis Group officials are calling on the international community to prevent the transitional government's collapse and provide much needed support for the growing humanitarian crisis in the country.

"The world is preoccupied with a symptom -- piracy -- instead of concentrating on a political settlement, the core of the crisis," Rashid Abdi, Crisis Group Somalia analyst, said in a statement.

"There is no quick fix to Somalia's tragedy, but this opportunity must not be missed."