SC – Debate on Somalia (Piracy) - Ambassador Mayr-Harting
Statement by Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations
New York, 18 November 2009
I will now speak in my national capacity.
At the outset, I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah for his presentation and for his work in Somalia as well as for the efforts of the entire UN family, in these very difficult circumstances, including the IMO and the UNODC. Let me also welcome the presence of the permanent representative of Somalia.
Austria aligns herself with the statement to be delivered by Sweden on behalf of the European Union later in this meeting. Let me now add a few additional points:
My delegation agrees with previous speakers that piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden are directly linked to the lack of stability and the disastrous economic situation in Somalia. At the same time, piracy contributes to the deterioration of the security situation and may play a role in financing embargo violations. As some merchant vessels are choosing different routes, piracy also hurts the economic situation of the region. Moreover it negatively affects the delivery of much needed aid to Somalia
Austria expresses her deep concern about the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Somalia with dire consequences for the civilian population, in particular women and children.
The EU operation ATALANTA aims at combating piracy off the coast of Somalia with the primary goal of protecting vessels of the WFP delivering food aid. We also like to commend the naval engagement of other States and organizations cooperating in the fight against piracy in the framework of the International Contact Group
The implementation of the pertinent international legal regime, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention), presents considerable challenges for state parties of these conventions in the region. Austria attaches great importance to the full respect of all applicable norms of international law, in particular international human rights law, including the right to a fair trial and non-refoulement. We welcome that UNODC contributes to countering maritime piracy in the Horn of Africa by a programme to increase regional capacities to deter, arrest, prosecute and detain pirates.
As the Secretary-General noted in his report, the prosecution of suspected pirates apprehended off the coast of Somalia is a burden for regional states, especially for Kenya and Seychelles. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the International Trust Fund by the Contact Group, administered by UNODC.
We believe that in addition to the naval operations the development of rule of law and security institutions in Somalia, improvement of livelihoods and education are important factors for the durable eradication of piracy off the coast of Somalia.
