UN Adopts Resolution Renewing Authorization for Somalia Anti-Piracy Measures

December 04: United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted Resolution 2500 renewing the authorization for Somalia anti-piracy measures to December of 2020.

The United States-drafted resolution has decided to renew for 12 months the authorization for states and regional organizations cooperating with Somalia to enter into Somali territorial waters and use all necessary means for the purpose of repressing acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea.

It has also decided to renew the authorization for such actors cooperating with Somalia to take these measures for the same purpose in Somali territory (on land), pursuant to the request of Somalia, while stressing that such measures are consistent with applicable international humanitarian and human rights law.

Somalia had requested that these measures be renewed in a letter to the Security Council on Nov. 22.

The report of the UN secretary-general on the situation with respect to piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia was published on Nov. 8. The report describes two significant piracy incidents since Oct. 1, 2018.

First, on Oct. 16, 2018, there was an attempt to board a bulk carrier approximately 340 nautical miles (about 630 km) east of Mogadishu, which was repelled by warning shots from the armed security personnel on board.

Second, on April 21, 2019, two fishing vessels were attacked 280 nautical miles (about 519 km) off the central coast of Somalia. The attack was repelled following an exchange of fire between the suspected pirates and armed security personnel on board. Prior to the attack, the suspected pirates had allegedly seized a Yemeni fishing vessel off the central coast of Somalia, with 26 crew members on board. On April 23, 2019, an EU Naval Force vessel seized the Yemeni fishing vessel and released the crew members.

Source: Xinhua