International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos has praised the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of a resolution authorising measures to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.
Under the terms of resolution 1816 (2008), which was adopted unanimously, the Security Council has decided that states cooperating with Somalia's Transitional Federal Government would be allowed, for a period of six months, to enter the country's territorial waters and use "all necessary means" to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea, in a manner consistent with international law."
This latest move comes after the IMO sought for more than two years to bring the matter to the attention of the Security Council and to urge concerted action, culminating in the adoption last November of a second IMO Assembly resolution on the subject.
Secretary-General Mitropoulos said that firm action was needed, since the current situation was stifling the flow of much-needed aid to the people of Somalia, jeopardizing innocent lives at sea and adversely affecting international trade.
The Security Council text was adopted with the consent of Somalia, which itself lacks the capacity to interdict pirates or patrol and secure its territorial waters. It follows a surge in attacks on ships in the waters off the country's coast, including hijackings of vessels operated by the World Food Programme and other commercial vessels.
The Security Council is now urging states using commercial routes off the coast of Somalia to increase and coordinate their efforts to deter attacks upon and the hijacking of vessels, in cooperation with the country's government, and to render assistance to ships threatened by or under attack by pirates.
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