The phenomenon of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia: Challenges and Solutions of the International Community by Abbas Daher Djama United Nations – The Nippon Foundation Fellow New York, December 2011 ii DISCLAIMER The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Djibouti, the United Nations, the Nippon Foundation of Japan or the University of Columbia. iii Abstract The phenomenon of Somali piracy has appeared several years ago and continues to pose a serious challenge to the international community. Even if piracy is an international crime for which the universal jurisdiction principle applies, states patrolling off the coast of Somalia are facing major problems in prosecuting the pirates. The doctrine of universal jurisdiction provides that any court has jurisdiction to try certain offenders who have committed international crimes like piracy. Nevertheless the specificity of Somali piracy is closely linked to the political situation of the country which is devastated by a civil war since 1991 and whose Government controls only one part of the capital. The problem is exacerbated by the geography of Somalia. More than 40% of world trade must pass through the narrow straight between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The chaotic humanitarian situation in Somalia encourages more and more people to commit acts of piracy and, due to the phenomenon of Somali piracy's considerable magnitude, this make it increasingly difficult to implement the solutions envisaged by the international community. The purpose of this research is to examine the specificity of Somali piracy, to highlight the solutions hitherto proposed and applied. Furthermore, the research tempts to envisage the role of the region in solving this issue. iv WORKING TITLE: The phenomenon of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia: Challenges and solutions of the International Community SUPERVISORS: Prof. Lori Damrosch Dr. Francois Bailet v Acronyms AMISOM African Union Mission In Somalia ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations AU African Union BCN weapons Biological, Chemical, Nuclear weapons BMP Best Management Practice CGPCS Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa EAPCCO Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation EASSy Eastern African Submarine Cable System ECA Economic Commission for Africa EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone ESA-IO The Eastern and Southern Africa - Indian Ocean FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GDP Gross Domestic Product GPS Global Positioning System GPML Global Programme against Money Laundering IGAD Intergovernmental Authority on Development ILO International Labour Organization IMB International Maritime Bureau IUU Illegal Unreported and Unregulated IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) LOSC Law of the Sea Convention IAMSP International Association of Maritime Security Professionals IMO International Maritime Organization IPOA International Peace Operations Association MSP Malacca Strait Patrols NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization NGOs Non Government Organizations PCASP Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel vi PMASC Private Military Security Companies ReCAAP The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia SOLAS Safety Of Life At Sea UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services UNSCR United Nations Security Council Resolutions UNTOC United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime USD United States Dollar SUA Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence against the Safety of Maritime Navigation TFG Transitional Federal Government VHS Video Home System VTS Vessel Traffic System WFP World Food Programme vii Acknowledgements It has been a great experience being a United Nations-Nippon Foundation Fellow. I would like to deeply thank the Nippon Foundation for awarded me this unique opportunity. I would like to extend my deepest and most sincere appreciation to Dr. François Bailet for his continuous support and endless help during the fellowship. I would like to convey my sincere gratitude to the Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS) and all DOALOS staff member for their warm welcome. I also would like to express my profound gratitude to the Government of Djibouti, especially H.E M. Mohamed-Siad Doualeh, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti to the United Nations for supporting me towards this fellowship. I sincerely express my appreciation to Prof. Lori Damrosch, Professor of International Law at Columbia University and my Co-Supervisor, for her support and guidance during the first segment of the fellowship. This acknowledgment would have not been complete without thanking the International Program of Columbia Law School and in particular Mr. Brian Gibson and Jason Nasrallah for their support, affection and friendship. viii Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................................. XI LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ XI INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................................1 PART ONE:..............................................................................................................................................................4 CHAPTER 1: INTERNATIONAL LAW ..........................................................................................................5 SECTION A: INTERNATIONAL LAW .....................................................................................................5 Paragraph 1: Classic Law of Nations ........................................................................................................................ 5 Paragraph 2: Customary International Law of Piracy............................................................................................ 9 II- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) .................................................................. 11 III- Suppression of Unlawful Acts (SUA) ......................................................................................................... 20 IV- International Law and Piracy....................................................................................................................... 28 SECTION B: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS...........................................................................36 Paragraph 1: United Nations ................................................................................................................................... 36 I- United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR).............................................................................36 II- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) ............................................................................. 48 III- International Maritime Organisation (IMO) ................................................................................................ 52 I- Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS)..................................................................... 56 II- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) .............................................................................................. 57 III- African Union.............................................................................................................................................. 58 IV- Interpol ........................................................................................................................................................ 59 CHAPTER 2: REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LAW.....................................................................................61 SECTION A: REGIONAL LAW................................................................................................................61 Paragraph 1: Asian Cooperation ............................................................................................................................. 61 I- Asian regional cooperation.......................................................................................................................... 61 Paragraph 2: Gulf of Aden Cooperation................................................................................................................. 69 I- The component of the Gulf of Aden Cooperation ....................................................................................... 69 II- The Eastern and Southern Africa - Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) Regional Strategy and Regional Plan of Action.......................................................................................................................................................... 73 III- Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO)........................................................... 75 IV- Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) .............................................................................. 76 V- Regional cooperation and specificities