African Nations Forge Anti-Piracy Force

Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime security, in a move designed to enhance collective efforts in fighting piracy and other criminal activities in the Indian Ocean.

"The scourge has caused adverse impacts to our economy as costs of freight and insurance premiums have tremendously gone up due to piracy," Tanzania's president Jakaya Kikwete said at the signing ceremony in his nation's capital Dar es Salaam.

Naval forces from the three countries will cooperate in maritime security including exchange of information, surveillance, joint military exercises and operations.

Photo shows the capture of suspected Somali pirates by the Tanzanian navy in September 2010. Courtesy of the Tanzania People's Defence Force.