Norway urges enhanced cooperation against organized crime at sea
Staff Writer |
Norway believes that an enhanced global and regional cooperation is required to fight organized crime at sea, a Norwegian diplomat said Tuesday.
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Speaking at the UN Security Council Debate on "Transnational Organized Crime at Sea as a Threat to International Peace and Security," Mona Juul, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations said.
"Enhanced global and regional cooperation is required and coastal states must govern their territorial waters and their exclusive economic zones to the best of their abilities."
As a country with a long coastline and a large maritime sector, Norway is concerned that piracy, fisheries crime, and the trafficking of people, drugs, weapons and protected species are threatening the legitimate use of the oceans and the livelihoods and security of coastal communities are at stake, Juul said.
The Gulf of Guinea is among the areas where maritime security is a challenge, the Norwegian diplomat said, adding that the implementation of the Code of Conduct is crucial for maritime safety from Angola to Cape Verde, and Norway remains a committed partner in support of the implementation of the code.
The Western Indian Ocean was the area most affected by piracy until 2012, she said, adding that the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia was able to curb these activities through a series of coordinated measures.
The situations in West and East Africa differ, but both require a viable legal solution, she said.
It is particularly important to prosecute the men in Somalia who organize the piracy groups, the Norwegian said, adding that Norway supports efforts to assist countries in drafting anti-piracy legislation.
Another of Norway's priorities is to assist our multilateral partners in the fight against maritime piracy, she said.
Fisheries crime poses a threat to the world's fisheries resources and to economic development, the Norwegian diplomat said.
The Norwegian said that around 20 percent of the fish on the market is caught illegally, for which developing countries, and particularly small island states, are hardest hit.
As a country that relies heavily on a sustainable blue economy, Norway has long advocated increased international cooperation and an effective legal framework to fight this type of crime. ■