Seychelles seeks more support in fight against piracy
Stronger support for Seychelles in the international fight against piracy was among issues discussed during a high-level meeting on piracy held on Friday.
The meeting between the chairman of the high-level committee on piracy, Joël Morgan, and the chairman of the working group II of contact group on piracy off the coast of Somalia, ambassador Thomas Winkler, and representative of the UNODC, was also attended by British high commissioner Mathew Forbes and French ambassador Philippe Delacroix.
Issues discussed at the meeting included the imminent positioning in Seychelles of people to support the criminal justice system to coordinate the material, human resources and financial support mechanisms that Seychelles is to benefit from within the context of its anti-piracy activities.
The minister also discussed the upcoming working group II meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark where legal issues of transfer arrangements of convicted pirates back to Somalia are to be discussed.
He emphasized the urgent need to bring online the prisons in Somalia which would hold convicted pirates, in line with the policy of government that the Somali authorities must take responsibility for the actions of their citizens convicted elsewhere for piracy.
The meeting also discussed the upcoming United Nations contact group meeting in New York in May on piracy and the position of Seychelles, as well as the proposals for a more coordinated effort and higher level of support in the international anti-piracy operations in relation to the Seychelles.
The minister also took the opportunity to brief the UNODC and the contact group II representatives on a proposed international meeting in Seychelles on piracy in July this year, with the aim of sensitizing the international community on the issues faced by Seychelles in its fight against piracy and to mobilize more support and resources for Seychelles to be able to continue to play a significant role in the fight against piracy in the region.
Ambassador Winkler congratulated Seychelles on its new anti-piracy legislation and on the active role that the country has taken to counter piracy and to bring pirates to justice.
He also expressed his support for the position taken by Seychelles against piracy internationally.