April 19, 2010 -- Stronger support for Seychelles in the international fight against piracy was among the issues discussed during a high-level meeting on piracy held last Friday.
On the Seychelles side was the chairman of the high-level committee on piracy, Minister Joel Morgan.
The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the working group II of the contact group on piracy off the coast of Somalia, ambassador Thomas Winkler, and representative of the UNODC, British high commissioner Mathew Forbes and French ambassador Philippe Delacroix.
The meeting discussed 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.
Minister Morgan 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.
The Minister 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 Somalia authorities must take responsibility for the actions of their citizens convicted elsewhere for piracy.
There will be a 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 Seychelles.
Minister Morgan briefed the UNODC and the contact group II representatives on a proposed inter national meeting in Seychelles on piracy in July this year. The meeting will sensitise the international community on the issues faced by Seychelles in the 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 its active role to fight piracy.