Sophisticated Somalis
International efforts of combating piracy off the coast of Somalia continues to face important operational challenges, the chairman of the UN-led Contact Group has reported.
Pirates have become more sophisticated and more daring, especially concerning their operations away from lands, the theater has shifted, said Franciscos Verros, chairman of the Contact Groups sixth plenary. He said at a press conference that Somali pirates were expanding the scope of their activities from the Horn of Africa to the Western Indian Ocean and anti-piracy forces were unable to cover such a vast area because of a lack of resources.
We need more helicopters, we need more patrols, he said.
The Contact Group was established by the UN following the Security Councils adoption of a resolution aimed at fighting piracy in the region in 2008.
Meanwhile, the European Union has agreed to extend the mandate for Operation Atalanta for a further two years until the end of December 2012. Operation Atalanta involves having naval ships of the EU on patrol and guard duty in the Somali region, primarily to escort food and other aid vessels delivering aid to Somalia and other destinations in the region, but also to help combat or prevent piracy.
In a statement issued in Brussels the Council for the EU said it noted with concern the impact that piracy was having on regional and security issues.
The council reiterates its determination to strengthen the EUs overall engagement to enhance regional capacity to fight piracy, the council said.
According to a German report, a number of German ships are choosing to flag out their vessels with the Liberian flag in order that they can adopt more stringent measures in securing their ships while sailing off the coast of Somalia. Liberia encourages shipowners to place armed guards on board their vessels whereas Germany adopts a more passive attitude.
Under German federal law, combating piracy is a police matter and not for the navy. As a result German Navy ships are not permitted to accompany German commercial ships at sea through pirate-ridden waters.
Source:shiptalk
