Mauritius says yes to EU to bring pirates to justice

(BRUSSELS2) Mauritius' proposal (1) to welcome and bring to justice the pirates arrested by the European anti-piracy forces has come to fruition. An agreement could be signed with the European Union, on the occasion of the new visit of the EU's chief diplomat, Cathy Ashton, to the region in early October.

In order to upgrade, the Indian Ocean island should benefit from financial and logistical support. It is indeed a question of putting in place the necessary structures, such as the construction of a new detention center that can accommodate around fifty prisoners, a building for the court and the interrogation rooms. Mauritius had put, in fact, as a condition that the suspects of piracy are not mixed with its own prisoners. The training of coast guards as judges in the law of the sea, the supply of equipment (vehicles, computers, radios, video-conference...) and the provision of interpreters will also be included in the "anti-piracy package " developed and provided by UNDOC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime).

This should be the third agreement signed by the European Union with a third country to host pirates after Kenya and the Seychelles. And, on the side of Cathy Ashton, we intend to reach other agreements (even if certain countries tested, such as Uganda, have given up welcoming pirates).

A naval force in the southern Indian Ocean?

Several countries in the region (Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius) as well as French Reunion could, in fact, set up a "joint naval force", which will act alongside the European anti-piracy force and could thus secure the "southern" flank of the Indian Ocean. A security imperative (several attacks have taken place regularly in this area) but also an economic necessity According to the Mauritian press, the freight carriers (on which all these islands depend) have forecast a significant increase in the price of transporting goods by sea, of the order of 30-40%.There is therefore an emergency!

The elite commandos of the Special Mobile Force (SMF) and the National Coast Guards - which are the two "military" forces of the island will participate in anti-piracy maneuvers, with the French soldiers, in October and November.

NB: the forces of Mauritius are formed by India and the United States (coast guard), France (gendarmerie) and the United Kingdom.

(1) Read: Mauritius offers its services in the fight against piracy

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)