IMO to support Somalia to repress piracy

Briefing 32/2009
2 November 2009

IMO to support Somalia to repress piracy

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos has reiterated IMO’s assurance to the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, Mr. Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, that the Organization stands ready to assist Somalia in repressing piracy off its coast and in the Gulf of Aden, following a meeting at IMO Headquarters in London on 27 October.

Also present at the meeting were the TFG’s Minister of Planning and International Communication, Mr. Abdirahman Abdishukur Warsame; and the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Mr. Abdirizak Osman Hassan.

Mr. Mitropoulos emphasized the importance of the effective implementation of the Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, which was adopted in Djibouti in January 2009, mainly aiming at ensuring co-operation among its signatory countries for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of pirates; the interdiction and seizure of suspect ships and property on board such ships; the rescue of ships, persons and property subject to acts of piracy and armed robbery; and the conduct of shared operations – both among signatory States and also with navies from outside the region. Somalia was one of the countries to sign the Code.

Prime Minister Abdirashid Sharmarke observed that piracy off his country’s coast needed to be tackled from the land side as well as from the sea. He requested assistance to halt attacks from the two main piracy networks (one in the central region of Somalia and one in Puntland) through the establishment of information-sharing centres on how the pirates operate and analyzing their money flow. He stated his eagerness to ensure that pirates were prosecuted within Somalia and stated that Somalia was reviewing its national legislation accordingly, and that he would appreciate assistance from IMO in this connection.

Mr. Mitropoulos responded that he would, in co-operation with his counterpart at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), provide the requested assistance and also that, through IMO’s technical co-operation programme and assistance from Member States, the Organization would help Somalia to establish a national coast guard.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary-General agreed to pursue Somalia’s capacity-building needs through a Somali delegation visiting IMO to specify such needs in the near future.

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IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
Web site: www.imo.org
For further information please contact:
Lee Adamson, Head, Public Information Services on 020 7587 3153 (media@imo.org )
Natasha Brown, External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3274 (media@imo.org ).

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UN agency to help create Somali coast guard

INQUIRER.net

First Posted 13:33:00 11/03/2009

Filed Under: Sea piracy

MANILA, Philippines—The head of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) has pledged that his agency will help Somalia repress piracy off its coast and in the Gulf of Aden, including through assisting in the creation of a national coast guard, the UN office here said in a statement.

IMO Secretary General Efthimios Mitropoulos discussed the issue with the Prime Minister of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, during their meeting last week in London, where the agency is based.

The past year has witnessed an upsurge in piracy off the coast of the Horn of Africa nation, which has been riven by factional fighting and had not had a functioning central government since the overthrow of Siad Barre in 1991.

In January, Indian Ocean and Red Sea countries pledged to cooperate in seizing, investigating, and prosecuting pirates off the Somali coast in a stepped-up campaign to curb a scourge that has wrought havoc with international shipping, including UN delivery of emergency food aid.

The code of conduct, signed in Djibouti, calls for shared operations, such as nominating law enforcement or other authorized officials to embark in the patrol ships or aircraft of another signatory.

Mitropoulos emphasized the importance of putting the code of conduct—of which Somalia is a signatory—into effect.

The Prime Minister said that piracy off his country’s coast needed to be tackled from the land side as well as from the sea, and requested help to halt attacks from the two main piracy networks (one in the central region of Somalia and one in Puntland) through the establishment of information-sharing centers.

He also stated that the country is reviewing its national legislation to ensure that pirates are prosecuted within Somalia, and requested the IMO’s help in this regard.

Mitropoulos said that the IMO, in cooperation with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, will provide the requested assistance. In addition, it will, through its technical cooperation program and assistance from member states, help Somalia to establish a national coast guard.

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/