UAE renews support to all military operations to end piracy off coast of Somalia

The United Arab Emirates has renewed its strong support for all military operations and critical measures aimed at improving the process of pursuing and prosecuting those responsible and involved in piracy acts, considering these measures as a strong deterrent for preventing this phenomenon from continuing. In an intervention made by Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations Ahmed Al-Jarman before the Meeting of the Contact Group on Combating Piracy off the Coast of Somalia on Thursday at the UN Headquarters, he added; "At the same time, the UAE emphasizes that such measures are not sufficient to eliminate totally and permanently these serious acts at sea, and the international community is required to adopt a comprehensive cooperation strategy that ensures the total elimination of this phenomenon, which constitutes a form of organized crime that threatens countries and is subject to international laws". UAE looks forward to chair the eleventh meeting of the Contact Group on Combating piracy in 2012. Though the United Arab Emirates is satisfied at the positive results achieved by the international community since the ninth meeting of the Contact Group in the area of reducing the incidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships and tankers off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, the phenomenon of piracy and its negative consequences continue to constitute a major threat not only to Somalia and other countries in the region, but also to international maritime traffic and trade as a whole.    Pirates continue to develop their methods and tactics of armed robbery relying on modern techniques that helped them to expand their operations on the high seas, which is harmful to international security, peace and stability, stressed Al-Jarman. The UAE, which has legislated laws to criminalize acts of piracy, kidnapping, smuggling in all its forms, money laundering and financing of terrorism and organized crime, is keen to strengthen its active participation in regional and international efforts aiming at combating acts of piracy and armed robbery of ships and tankers as part of its comprehensive national strategy, he said. This strategy consists of three main pillars, which includes participation in military response, abidance to international obligation of prosecution and detention of pirates, bringing them to justice and preventing their sources of funding in accordance with international law, and strengthening its development partnership and long-term humanitarian and financial assistance to some countries in the region, particularly Somalia, in order to enable these countries to revive their national economy, Al-Jarman explained. "My Government has also undertaken a number of initiatives in the area of combating piracy, including the organization of a high-level international conference held in Dubai last April and its contribution of one million dollar to the Trust Fund for supporting the initiatives of the Contact Group", said Al-Jarman . Therefore, we urge the international community to provide the necessary funding for all initiatives and projects aiming at capacity-building of Somalia, including the assistance in the early establishment of its exclusive economic zone, enactment of the necessary national legislations for combating piracy, providing the necessary assistance to ensure achievement of reconciliation, rule of law, building of transitional federal institutions, and enhancement of national sustainable development, in order to bring peace and stability across the country, stressed Al-Jarman.(QNA)