Speaking at the British Chamber of Shipping, British Foreign Office
Minister, Henry Bellingham, has outlined the UK’s ongoing commitment
to tackle piracy off the coast of East Africa.
Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham said:
“This government is 100% behind a more robust response to piracy. I
am pleased to announce that a UK funded maritime intelligence and
information coordination centre will be set up in Seychelles. The FCO
and Serious Organised Crime Agency are carrying out urgent work with
the Government of the Seychelles to take this forward.
“The new intelligence centre will coordinate the tracking of financial
flows and enforcement operations and will help collate the evidence
needed to issue international arrest warrants and prosecute pirates.
“Pirate financiers are the kingpins of piracy and targeting them
effectively will have a huge impact on the ability of pirates to
terrorise the high seas.”
In addition, Mr Bellingham announced UK support for several of the
UN’s projects to tackle piracy. This includes work in Somalia
designed to prevent people from turning to piracy in the first place.
Mr Bellingham continued:
“We have always been clear that the problem of piracy cannot be solved
at sea when the causes of piracy lie on land. We must also help
Somalia and its regions to develop their own capabilities to deter
and detain pirates. I am pleased to announce that the UK will support
work to ensure that this becomes a reality.”
Full details of the new funding commitments are:
£2.25 million to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. This will fund
UNODC work in the prosecution and imprisonment of pirates in Kenya,
Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tanzania as well as in Somalia, primarily
through the building of prisons and courts and training the people who
will work in them.
£2 million to UNODC and UNDP. This will be used to support community
engagement and economic development programmes, for example
ex-pirates, politicians and community leaders working with communities
to make them aware of the dangers of piracy and the real alternatives.
It will also support the provision of alternative livelihoods for
those susceptible to being recruited by pirates.
£200,000 to UNDP. This will fund a needs assessment in Puntland and
Galmudug – the areas most affected by piracy. The assessment will
identify what maritime security and maritime police/coastguard
facilities are needed.
£120,000 to UN Political Office for Somalia. This will be used to set
up anti-piracy offices and teams in the Somali regions. These offices
will work on all aspects of piracy and maritime security, supporting
the implementation of the roadmap on maritime security agreed by the
Somali Government in September.