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8088th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Somalia
The Security Council today renewed for another year its authorization for international naval forces to join in fighting piracy off Somalia’s coast, underscoring that such crime exacerbated instability in the country and fuelled corruption and terrorism.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2383 (2017) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council again affirmed the primary responsibility of Somali authorities in the effort to combat piracy. It also renewed the call upon States and regional organizations that were able to do so to cooperate with those authorities and each other through deploying naval vessels and military aircraft, providing logistical support, and seizing and disposing of boats, arms and related equipment reasonably suspected to be used in piracy and armed robbery in the area.
The Council commended the contributions of the European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Operation Ocean Shield, the Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task Force 151, the African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community, as well as individual States for naval counter piracy missions and protecting ships transiting through the region.
The Council recognized the need to continue investigating and prosecuting those who plan, organize, or illicitly finance or profit from pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, including key figures of criminal networks involved in piracy. It also urged States, working in conjunction with relevant international organizations, to adopt legislation to facilitate prosecution of suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The Council also reaffirmed that the authorizations renewed in the resolution applied only with respect to the situation in Somalia and did not affect rights, obligations and responsibilities of Member States under international law, including the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
After adoption, Evgeny T. Zagaynov (Russian Federation) said he had supported the resolution but noted it had a regional focus. The fight against piracy required a more global format, with more common approaches to fight piracy, including prosecution of pirates. The most successful platform for that was the Contact Group to Fight Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. Piracy was an engine for terrorism and illegal weapons trafficking, he said, and pirates were frequently incriminated in other crimes. It would be wise to consider optimal means to counter such threats. The Council must continue to play a political role in the fight.
Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia) said his Government was working hard on tackling the piracy and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. That problem adversely impacted Somalia and was depleting seafood resources through illegal fishing by foreign companies. The root causes of piracy and such fishing were poor state control, the lack of legal economic opportunities and the absence of the rule of law. Although piracy had declined, it could easily escalate again. Renewal of the current mandate to fight piracy could only be effective if it addressed the devastation from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. He encouraged more research in the complex link between piracy and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The meeting began at 10:04 a.m. and end at 10:16 a.m.