This follows an agreement signed yesterday by the US and the Seychelles government relating to the transfer of suspected pirates to our shores.

It was signed by Home Affairs, Environment and Transport Minister Joel Morgan and US ambassador to Seychelles Mary Jo Wills in the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam during a ceremony at the Maison Queau de Quinssy.

Also present were Foreign Affairs principal secretary Maurice Loustau-Lalanne and Police Commissioner Ernest Quatre.

After the signing Mrs Wills said this is a memorandum of understanding for the cooperation on the prosecution of pirates.
“Piracy is a scourge and challenge which cannot be addressed without cooperation,” she said.

She added that her government looks forward for ongoing cooperation with Seychelles in respect to piracy and also to counter illegal fishing and drug trafficking.

Mr Morgan thanked the US for their ongoing and excellent cooperation with the Seychelles to combat piracy and more importantly to the overall maritime security of the region.

Noting that Seychelles has taken a pro-active role in the fight against piracy, he said being able to bring pirates to justice and to receive and prosecute them is yet an important step between the US and Seychelles in this fight which also involves the international communities.

There is a possibility that such agreement will also be signed with other countries and international organisations, he said, adding that Seychelles is currently discussing an accord with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

He said if the suspected pirates are being brought here, Seychelles in return will also get military and legal support with these countries and organisations.

“With this accord there is the assurance that these pirates will be repatriated to Somalia to continue their prison sentence as we are not a dumping ground for pirates,” Mr Morgan said.

He added that this accord is also directly related to the Transfer of Prisoners Bill, 2010 which will be presented to the National Assembly next week.

”It will give us a legal instrument to make other countries take responsibility for the acts of their citizens such as in the case of Somalia,” he said.

Following the maritime security symposium this week, “regional countries are being asked to follow the same model – to repatriate these pirates to Somalia,” Mr Morgan said.