New York - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said
Wednesday that Somali pirates have received 30 million dollars in
ransom this year alone.
There has been a surge in piracy in 2008 - the latest being the
hijacking of a Saudi supertanker, carrying about 100 million dollars
worth of crude oil, on Saturday.
Ban called for a 'pragmatic and effective' way to end piracy and
armed robbery off the coast of Somalia as it has weakened the
transitional government and authorities in the autonomous Puntland
areas in north Somalia.
Citing a report on the security situation in Somalia, Ban said
that since January 2008, a total of 65 merchant ships with about 200
crew members each, have been hijacked off the Somali coast.
The pirates received between 25 million dollars to 30 million
dollars in ransom, he said, without specifying which shipowners paid
the money.
He said the Somali government had not been effective in stopping
the pirates.
In a separate statement issued Wednesday, Ban voiced concern about
the hijacking of ships and reiterated his condemnation of the
practice.
'I strongly support efforts by member states to address this
scourge and am working closely with the transitional federal
government of Somalia, the International Maritime Organization, NATO
and the European Union and other member states to ensure a
coordinated international effort to fight piracy,' Ban said.
He welcomed the EU's decision to deploy naval ships to the Somali
coast.
The UN Security Council had authorized states to use force to end
acts of piracy and armed robbery by Somali pirates. Despite escorts
provided by navies from Canada, France, Denmark, the Netherlands and
NATO, the incidence of piracy has increased.
Ban said in his report that the security situation in Somalia has
deteriorated, particularly in the south-central regions of the
country, posing an 'immense challenge' to efforts at reconciliation
among the parties and also to the delivery of relief aid and
stability of the region.
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