IMO welcomes Security Council Moves on Piracy

IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has welcomed the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of a resolution authorizing a series of decisive measures to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels off the coast of . Under the terms of resolution 1816 (2008), which was adopted unanimously, the Security Council decided that, following receipt of a letter from Somalia to the President of the UN Security Council giving the consent of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), States co-operating with the TFG would be allowed, for a period of six months, to enter the country's territorial waters and use "all necessary means" to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea, in a manner consistent with relevant provisions of international law.  This latest move comes after more than two years of intensive effort by IMO to bring this matter to the attention of the Security Council and to urge concerted action, culminating in the adoption, last November, of a second IMO Assembly resolution on the subject. In welcoming the Security Council resolution, Secretary-General Mitropoulos said that firm action was needed, since the current situation was stifling the flow of much-needed aid to the people of , jeopardizing the lives of innocent seafarers, fishers and passengers, and adversely affecting international trade.