22 October 2014 – While noting the progress
made to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, the United Nations political
chief today said that a sustained long-term solution must include the presence
of effective Government and State institutions that provide basic services and
alternative ways for people to make a living.
Briefing the Security Council on piracy off
the coast of the east African nation, Under-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs Jeffrey Feltman today said that this multi-pronged approach may be “a
daunting, but unavoidable task, for it will enable Somalia to effectively
address, and ultimately defeat, piracy.”
“We should not only ask what more needs to
be done to ensure that the scourge does not return, but also what kind of
support could be provided to Somalia so that the country is able to respond to
the threat of piracy without dependence on the countries support of
international navies,” he said.
The decline in pirate attacks off the coast
of Somalia is an opportunity to review current efforts and take a long-term
perspective on how best to contain Somali piracy including by addressing underlying
conditions conducive to breeding piracy, such as political instability and the
lack of alternative livelihoods.
“State collapse in Somalia and other
political challenges lie at the root of the problem,” Feltman said, adding that
this was acknowledged in relevant Security Council resolutions, including the
most recent resolution 2125 (2013). Mr. Feltman also introduced to the Council
the Secretary-General’s report
on piracy submitted pursuant to that resolution.
Since the adoption of the first Security
Council resolution on the matter in June 2008, some of the most urgent
responses have revolved around the “twin axes of deterring pirate attacks and
prosecuting and sanctioning of pirates,” he said.
Coordinated efforts by Member States,
organizations and the maritime industry have caused incidents of piracy
reported off the coast of Somalia to drop to their lowest levels in recent
years. Indeed, the last time a large commercial vessel was hijacked was more
than two years ago.
However, Mr. Feltman warns, that progress
is in danger of reversing without continued deterrence from the international
naval presence and the self-protection measures adopted by the shipping
industry.
“This progress is fragile and reversible.
We still see pirates attempting to attack vessels and capture them for ransom,”
Mr. Feltman told the Council.
State-building and inclusive governance
efforts in Somalia must be led and owned by Somalis themselves, he underscored.
Moreover, the international community must continue to support the Somali
Government in its efforts to deliver on its commitments outlined in Vision 2016
and the Somali Compact. Meanwhile, the UN must be involved in helping
strengthen the capacity of Somalia and other region countries to prosecute
pirates and to sanction those convicted.
“It is imperative that more nations
criminalise piracy on the basis of international law as reflected in the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said, emphasizing the need to
deter the financing of piracy and the laundering of ransom money.
It is critical that the international
community support regional efforts to implement the 2050 Africa’s Integrated
Maritime Strategy (2050 AIM Strategy), adopted by the African Union and other
regional players to enable countries in the region to better address this
scourge.
As it stands now, Somali pirates continue
to hold 37 seafarers, which remains a matter of serious international concern.
It is crucial that all efforts are made to secure and promptly release all
hostages.
