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Archive -Seychelles

19th Plenary Session of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) |01 June 2016

 

Delegates meet to discuss the group’s future

 

Delegates of various countries and important foreign representatives from several world bodies  are meeting in Seychelles for the 19th plenary session of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).

The representatives are from such organisations as the AU, UN, NATO, EUNAVFOR, FAO, IMO, COI, IGAD, EUCAP NESTOR, EAC, UNODC, CMF, Danish Ship owners Association, Industry and Seafarers Association, Norwegian Ship Owners Association, Oceans Beyond Piracy, COMESA, East African Stand By Force, INTERPOL, Cardiff University, BIMCO, CRIMARIO.

The meeting, which was officially opened yesterday by the Vice-President of the Republic Danny Faure, follows a recommendation made by CGPCS at its last strategic meeting in Mumbai almost four months ago.

CGPCS is a voluntary group currently chaired by Seychelles since January 1, 2016 with a mandate of one year. It operates under a United Nations Security Resolution.

The plenary started with a video on the CGPCS under the theme: ‘From the Region to the Region. Creating a Lasting Legacy’.

Elaborating on the topics of discussions, the deputy head of CGPCS, Jacques Belle, said they will focus mainly on the future structure and mandate of the group. Even if attacks by pirates have diminished, Mr Belle said maritime crime is still a menace in the Indian Ocean region.

The sessions kicked off with discussions on the different recommendations addressed during the Mumbai meeting.

“The delegates will express their opinion and the chairman will take them into account and hopefully gain a common stance at the end of the conference,” said Mr Belle.

In his opening speech, Vice-President Faure said Seychelles is proud to host this event as it attests to the strong commitment that the government took both nationally and internationally in helping to end the scourge of piracy in our region. 

“With Seychelles being the first country in our region to assume the chairmanship of the CGPCS earlier this year, we have reaffirmed our conviction that the active role of regional countries alongside partners from further afield are crucial in the common endeavour to bring security and stability to our shores.”

He added even if Seychelles has recognised the nature of piracy as a criminal model which could be replicated to perpetuate different maritime crimes, we must as a group embrace the best practices learnt in dealings with this phenomenon and apply it to other transnational crimes such as unregulated fishing, drugs trafficking and arms and people trafficking.

Mr Faure remarked piracy are largely symptoms of developments on the land-side of Somalia where a prosperous, stable and growing Somalia would provide safety and stability in the waters.

“Our oceans connect all nations. It should be our common goal to ensure their continued viability and security, which will contribute to the sustainable development agenda and thus guaranteeing a prosperous future for all peoples,” said Vice-President Faure while thanking international partners for their role and contribution in that fight.

As for Minister Joel Morgan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, he said the delegates are long-time partners in a common fight, which is the fight against piracy but must not become complacent as maritime insecurity takes on a different form today and evolves.

He remarked that the CGPCS community cannot remain indifferent to these problems, and we should continue to promote international mobilisation and find tangible solutions together for our common long-term security, even as we work to achieve our own objectives.

“Our goal as indicated in the adopted ‘Master Message’ is to ensure that all the regional countries play a more active role, progressively taking ownership over the problem of piracy and the maritime threats that this causes within the region,” he said, hailing the continued support and partnership of our international partners which he said are much appreciated.

Dr Ahmed Ali Dahir, Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Somalia thanked Seychelles on its chairmanship of the CGPCS, a role he said that has traditionally remained with states or international organisations distant from Somalia.

He thanked Seychelles for its hospitality, describing it as a beautiful country which has faced up to its international responsibilities without hesitation.

“We all live in a difficult world, and this can be a dangerous region.  But Seychelles has shown us that strong leadership and a commitment to peace and security is the only way forward,” he said.

Dr Ahmed also commended Seychelles on its human and compassionate treatment of the suspected Somali pirates at the Montagne Posée prison even if they have committed terrible mistakes on seafarers.

“As Somalia strives to see the introduction of fully effective rule of law, he said his country faces huge challenges in the future and therefore need all the international support they can get.

 

 

 

 

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