Global risk and crisis management consultancy NYA International‚ which released its 2016 Kidnap and Piracy Map on Wednesday‚ also cited severe threat ratings for maritime piracy off Somalia and Nigeria.
Overall‚ intensified civil conflicts in Africa‚ entrenched criminality in Latin America and the advance of Islamist militancy in spaces worldwide have contributed to the agency placing “severe” kidnap ratings for 11 countries‚ up from eight in 2015.
A further 11 countries‚ including India‚ Egypt‚ Lebanon‚ Cameroon and Kenya‚ moved from “medium” to “high”.
Assessing cases of kidnap for ransom during 2015‚ NYA said Africa accounted for 34% of the world’s kidnap incidents‚ second only to Asia which had 40%. The Americas accounted for 14% and the Middle East 10% while Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) accounted for 2%
Although foreign nationals bear a disproportionate threat burden‚ local citizens are more likely to be kidnapped‚ the report said‚ with nine in 10 victims in 2015 kidnapped in their home country.
The 11 countries that face a severe kidnapping threat are: Afghanistan‚ Central African Republic‚ Democratic Republic of Congo‚ Iraq‚ Libya‚ Nigeria‚ Pakistan‚ Somalia‚ South Sudan‚ Syria and Yemen.
Egypt‚ Cameroon‚ Lebanon and Kenya are four of 11 countries that moved from medium to high threat. Each is facing domestic or neighbouring Islamist militancy‚ contributing to the increase‚ the agency said.
Worsening economies could pose a threat for this year‚ the agency said.
“In 2016‚ global economic uncertainty and low oil prices threatens to exacerbate the kidnapping threat in countries such as Mexico‚ Nigeria‚ Venezuela and Libya‚ where threats are already high to severe.”
There is cause for optimism‚ however‚ the report states. “Peace talks in Colombia‚ once the world’s leading kidnap hotspot‚ showed mediation and concession can reduce threats‚ albeit over time.”