Yemen, EU review anti-piracy efforts

SANA'A, Nov. 15 (Saba) - Transport Minister
Khaled al-Wazir has talked with a delegation of the European Union (EU), currently
visiting
Yemen, on the steps required for the anti-piracy needs in the region of the Horn of
Africa and the Gulf of Aden.
Al-Wazir reviewed the procedures taken by Yemen to implement its duties toward the
Code of Conduct of the states of the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
The Minister also briefed the EU delegation on Yemen's preparations to carry out
the Djibouti Code of Conduct and set up a regional center for coordination and
exchange
of information in Sana'a.
The aim of the center is to coordinate the anti-piracy efforts among the region
states' coastguards to carry out joint tasks in the framework of combating piracy
and ensuring
sea security services.
In January 2009, a high-level meeting of 17 states from the Western Indian Ocean,
the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea areas, was convened in Djibouti to help address the
problem
of piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf
of Aden.
The meeting adopted a Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed
Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden (the Code of
Conduct).
The meeting was attended by Ministers, Ambassadors, senior officials and legal
experts from Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar,
Maldives,
Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, the United Republic of
Tanzania and Yemen, as well as observers from other IMO Member States, United
Nations
specialized agencies and bodies, and international and regional inter-governmental
and non-governmental organizations.
The Code of Conduct recognizes the extent of the problem of piracy and armed
robbery against ships in the region and, in it, the signatories declare their
intention to cooperate
to the fullest possible extent, and in a manner consistent with international law,
in the repression of piracy and armed robbery against ships, with a view towards
sharing
and reporting relevant information through a system of national focal points and
information centres, interdicting ships suspected of engaging in acts of piracy or
armed
robbery against ships, ensuring that persons committing or attempting to commit acts
of piracy or armed robbery against ships are apprehended and prosecuted, and
facilitating
proper care, treatment, and repatriation for seafarers, fishermen, other shipboard
personnel and passengers subject to acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships,
particularly
those who have been subjected to violence.
The Code of Conduct also covers the possibilities of shared operations, such as
nominating law enforcement or other authorized officials to embark in the patrol
ships or
aircraft of another signatory.
The Code of Conduct further calls for the setting up of national focal points for
piracy and armed robbery against ships and the sharing of information relating to
incidents
reported.
The signatories intend to use piracy information exchange centres in Kenya, United
Republic of Tanzania and Yemen, to be located, respectively, in the regional
Maritime
Rescue Coordination Centre in Mombasa, the Sub-Regional Coordination Centre in Dar
Salaam, and a regional maritime information centre, which is being established in
Sana'a.
The meeting also recommended the establishment of a regional training centre within
the purposes of the Code of Conduct and, by means of a resolution, accepted with
appreciation
the offer of Djibouti to host it.
The Code of Conduct is open for signature by the 21 countries in the region, of
which nine - namely, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Seychelles,
Somalia,
United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen - signed it during the closing ceremony in
Djibouti. As a result, the Code of Conduct is effective as from 29 January 2009.
The Djibouti meeting follows from earlier regional meetings, also convened by IMO,
including the Subregional seminar on piracy and armed robbery against ships and
maritime
security held in Sana'a, Yemen, in April 2005, the follow up Subregional workshop on
maritime security, piracy and armed robbery against ships held in Muscat, Sultanate
of
Oman, in January 2006, and the Subregional meeting on piracy and armed robbery
against ships in the Western Indian Ocean, held in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of
Tanzania,
in April 2008.
FJ/YA