UAE reports progress by Contact Group on Piracy of the Coast of Somalia (1st ADD)

WAM
Friday, March 30, 2012

advertisements

Speaking on the second priority, Supporting Somalia, Al-Mazrouie said the piracy issue on the seas is integrally linked to the political and security situation on land in Somalia. It is the dire situation there that drives youth to the pirate life.

"This desperation stems directly from the humanitarian crises that Somalia faces, and is compounded by the country's challenging political situation. Now it is important that the international community does all it can to support the Somali authorities in bringing the current challenging situation there to an end. In this context, we commend the efforts made by all parties to support the capacity-building of Somalia." The UAE's third priority is, he said," to ensure the effective coordination of our international efforts and regional partnerships. In this respect, the Contact Group has been very successful this cycle, particularly noting how it has liaised with other concerned parties, maximizing the outcome of events like the meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia, and the United Kingdom's recent, highly successful London Conference on Somalia.

The UAE encourages the continuation of this type of cooperation, which recognizes the importance of integrating relevant work of other bodies, so that we achieve maximum results in terms of stability for Somalia." Finally, we must in this regard ensure that gains in political stability and economic development are sustainable is to support education within Somalia, which is among the key priorities for the UAE chairmanship.

The UAE believes that education can play a pivotal role in promoting a culture of peace and tolerance in the region, and the benefits of this will anchor advances made in other areas of the counter-piracy response.

These four core chairmanship priorities are reflected in the Plenary Communique, he noted adding that this collaborative process has yielded a document which both accurately reports on the Contact Group's achievements during this term, while also highlighting outstanding issues to perhaps inform the priorities of the working groups during the next Chairmanship term.

The accomplishments that the Contact Group has achieved in such a short amount of time, around two and a half years, are a testament to the hard work and dedication of its members. He thanked the working group chairs, for all their work in convening the working group meetings this plenary term and Spain, the incoming plenary chair for the 12th session of the Contact Group, and expressed the UAE's full support for their agenda.

Stressing that the fight against piracy is an ongoing one, the work of which is shared across the international community, the UAE senior official said "while the challenge that we face is great, we are making progress and now we have momentum. Together, we will all see the day when the last captured seafarer is released to his family, ships no longer fear the passing through the historic maritime community that has existed for centuries off the Coast of Somalia, and when the people of Somalia enjoy the full benefits of peace, security, and prosperity."

Home
Email

Hiiraan Online