United Nations Security Council Resolution 1918
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United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1918, adopted unanimously on April 27, 2010, after recalling resolutions 1814
(2008), 1816
(2008), 1838
(2008), 1844
(2008), 1846
(2008), 1851
(2008) and 1897
(2008) on Somalia
, the Council called on countries to criminalise piracy
within their national laws.
The Security Council remained concerned by the threat that piracy and armed robbery
against vessels posed to the situation in Somalia
, nearby states and international shipping. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
was also reaffirmed as was the need to address problems caused by the limited capacity of the judicial system in Somalia and neighbouring states to effectively prosecute those suspected of being involved in piracy. In this regard, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
, Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and other international organisations were assisting in enhancing the judicial systems in Somalia, Kenya
, the Seychelles
and other countries in the region to convict pirates.
The resolution welcomed efforts by the European Union
, NATO and other states acting in a national capacity for their efforts to suppress acts of piracy in co-operation with the Transitional Federal Government
off the coast of Somalia. The efforts of Kenya, the Seychelles and other states were praised following the prosecution of pirates in their countries, consistent with international humanitarian law
. There was concern that some suspected pirates had been released without facing justice
, due to uncertainty over who could prosecute them.
In the second part of the resolution, sponsored by Russia
, the Council reiterated that the failure to prosecute those responsible for acts of piracy undermined anti-piracy efforts by the international community
. Countries were called upon to criminalise piracy within their national laws and to detain and prosecute suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia in accordance with international human rights
law. Progress made towards the implementation of the International Maritime Organization
Djibouti Code of Conduct was praised, with the Council further calling upon participants to implement it fully as soon as possible. Finally, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
was requested within three months to report on options for prosecuting and imprisoning those responsible for piracy and armed robbery, including the possibility of establishing a regional or international tribunal.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1918, adopted unanimously on April 27, 2010, after recalling resolutions 1814
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1814
- Resolution :The Security Council this afternoon expressed its strong support for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s integrated strategy for building the foundations of peace and durable stability in Somalia, including plans for greater international presence on the ground in the troubled east...
(2008), 1816
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816
- Resolution :Condemning all acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels off the coast of Somalia, the Security Council this afternoon authorized a series of decisive measures to combat those crimes....
(2008), 1838
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1838
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1838 is a United Nations Security Council resolution that calls on nations with vessels in the Somali piracy region to apply military force as a means of repressing acts of piracy. Adopted unanimously on October 7, 2008, it recommends that states commit...
(2008), 1844
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1844
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1844 was unanimously adopted on 20 November 2008.- Resolution :The Security Council today strengthened the arms embargo on the violence-plagued nation of Somalia by specifying sanctions on violators and expanding the mandate of the Committee that oversees...
(2008), 1846
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1846
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1846 was unanimously adopted on 2 December 2008.- Resolution :The Security Council today strengthened international efforts to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia by expanding the mandate of States and regional organizations working with Somali officials...
(2008), 1851
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1851
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1844 was unanimously adopted on 20 November 2008.- Resolution :The Security Council today decided that, for the next year, States and regional organizations cooperating in the fight against piracy and armed robbery at sea off Somalia’s coast -- for which...
(2008) and 1897
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1897
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1897 was unanimously adopted on 30 November 2009.- Resolution :The Security Council today decided to renew, for a period of 12 months, its previous authorizations for States and regional organizations cooperating with the Somali Transitional Federal...
(2008) on Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, the Council called on countries to criminalise piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
within their national laws.
The Security Council remained concerned by the threat that piracy and armed robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
against vessels posed to the situation in Somalia
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
, nearby states and international shipping. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea , which took place from 1973 through 1982...
was also reaffirmed as was the need to address problems caused by the limited capacity of the judicial system in Somalia and neighbouring states to effectively prosecute those suspected of being involved in piracy. In this regard, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
, Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and other international organisations were assisting in enhancing the judicial systems in Somalia, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
and other countries in the region to convict pirates.
The resolution welcomed efforts by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, NATO and other states acting in a national capacity for their efforts to suppress acts of piracy in co-operation with the Transitional Federal Government
Transitional Federal Government
The Transitional Federal Government is the current internationally recognized government of the Republic of Somalia. It was established as one of the Transitional Federal Institutions of government as defined in the Transitional Federal Charter adopted in November 2004 by the Transitional...
off the coast of Somalia. The efforts of Kenya, the Seychelles and other states were praised following the prosecution of pirates in their countries, consistent with international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
. There was concern that some suspected pirates had been released without facing justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
, due to uncertainty over who could prosecute them.
In the second part of the resolution, sponsored by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the Council reiterated that the failure to prosecute those responsible for acts of piracy undermined anti-piracy efforts by the international community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
. Countries were called upon to criminalise piracy within their national laws and to detain and prosecute suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia in accordance with international human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
law. Progress made towards the implementation of the International Maritime Organization
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
Djibouti Code of Conduct was praised, with the Council further calling upon participants to implement it fully as soon as possible. Finally, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
was requested within three months to report on options for prosecuting and imprisoning those responsible for piracy and armed robbery, including the possibility of establishing a regional or international tribunal.
See also
- List of ships attacked by Somali pirates
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1901 to 2000 (2009 – 2011)
- Piracy in SomaliaPiracy in SomaliaPiracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
External links
- Text of Resolution at ReliefWebReliefWebReliefWeb is an on-line gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters. An independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance, it provides information as events unfold, while...