An armed Somali pirate keeping vigil on the coastline near Hobyo,
northeastern Somalia on January 4, 2012. PHOTO | MOHAMED DAHIR | FILE
AFP
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
A resolution passed on Monday by the United Nations Security Council allows countries such as Kenya, the Seychelles, Tanzania and Mauritius to continue prosecuting pirates as the international community helps Somalia to establish special courts meant for trying persons accused of piracy.
UNANIMOUSLY AGREED
In the resolution, the security council unanimously agreed that piracy on the coast of Somalia constituted a threat to international peace and security in the region, and called on states and regional organisations to fight sea crimes by deploying naval vessels and military aircraft and by prosecuting suspects and blocking laundering of piracy money.
The resolution praised Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania for their efforts to prosecute suspected pirates.
Kenya is expected to benefit from a European Union training programme on maritime security, with Somalia, Djibouti, Seychelles and Tanzania. Kenya has been trying piracy suspects since 2006.