Latest piracy news (March 2, 2013) (Update)

(BRUSSELS2)

Piracy: the Courbet frigate trains in Djibouti

The Stealth Light Frigate Courbet relieved, on February 20, its sister ship, the Surcouf, to join the European operation to fight against piracy Atalante. Leaving the port of Djibouti, it carried out a succession of exercises at sea with all the components of the French forces stationed in Djibouti (FFDj).

Ukraine will participate in NATO anti-piracy operation

The Ukrainian frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy, the flagship of the Ukrainian Navy, is expected to take part in NATO's anti-piracy operation. On the sidelines of the Alliance's Council of Defense Ministers on Friday (22 February), Ukrainian Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev signed a letter confirming this intention with Alliance Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. " The exchange of letters serves to confirm Ukraine's offer and NATO's intention to proceed with the final stage of technical certification which is necessary for Ukraine's contribution to be able to operate effectively with NATO ships. »

Conviction of pirates in Abu Dhabi

The Federal Court of Appeal in Abu Dhabi on Monday (25 February) upheld the sentences handed down to 10 pirates for attacking an Emirati bulk carrier. In April 2011, while the MV Arrilah-1 was in the Arabian Sea en route to Dubai with a cargo of aluminum captured in Australia, pirates stormed it - using small arms and explosives - in a siege which had lasted 30 hours until the Emirati special forces, supported by the American ship USS Enterprise of the 5th fleet, based in Bahrain, intervened. The trial court had sentenced them to life in prison in May, according to the Jurist website, indicating that after a 25-year sentence they would be deported.

Opening of the RAPPICC center in the Seychelles

Seychelles inaugurated its Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution and Intelligence Coordination Center on February 25, as reported by the local daily the Nation. This center was decided at the London meeting on piracy a year ago (see also: Judgment of the Pirates: Solutions from London). The Seychellois Minister for Transport, Joel Morgan, and the British Minister for Maritime Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Alistair Burton, have thus signed an operational and partnership agreement for the establishment of this center, which will have an operational side — l information sharing on the pursuit of pirates — and a training side. The inaugurated building thus has a conference room and training rooms.

Amnesty for pirates, especially young people

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud detailed his plans for an amnesty for pirates in an exclusive interview with AFP on February 28. This amnesty would only concern young people, not leaders. " The problem is that of the leaders (pirates). Some have been charged, and (the international police cooperation organization) Interpol is after them, proceedings are underway in some countries against others, so we are not negotiating with them, we are not offering them amnesty . Amnesty is for young people”, he specified. To these, he hopes to be able to offer them a professional retraining, to " get it over with with the attacks off the coast of his country.