Somalia pirates put on notice:

February 26, 2006

Mombassa Daily Nation (Feb 26) - A number of countries are to help the Somalia transitional government to fight piracy in its Indian Ocean waters.

The countries, meeting in Mombasa to seek ways to curb piracy and armed raids on ships in the Somali waters, are also to ask for help from donors.

In a communiqué released after the meeting yesterday, their representatives said they would boost Somalia’s capacity to fight the crime.

The meeting was called after increased piracy and armed robberies between March and December, last year, during which 48 vessels were attacked, with 35 being detained with crews and cargo.

The talks were attended also by Tanzania and Mozambique and representatives of the Somalia government.

Observers came from the United Kingdom, the US, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), New Partnership for African Development and the World Food Programme.

Briefing the talks on the situation in Somalia earlier, IMO senior deputy director Hartmut Hesse told of "a grave danger to life, serious risks to the safety of navigation and an imminent environmental disaster."

He said the importance of the routes off the Somalia coast to regional and global sea trade required them to remain open and safe.

Nepad representative Ali Mohammed said piracy should be addressed alongside other unlawful activities in the sea, including illegal fishing.

"It is illegal fishing along the coast of Somalia that has brought about piracy, as it has been found to be lucrative," he added.

"Stakeholders concerned need to fight piracy by fighting illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing." waters.