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IMO
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MSC 69/16/2
13 March 1998
Original:ENGLISH
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MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE-
69th session
Agenda item 16
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS
Actions taken by the Secretariat
Note by the Secretariat
SUMMARY
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| Executive
summary: |
This document contains an interim report on the steps taken by the Secretariat in response to the Committee's instructions at its sixty-eighth session (MSC 68/23, paragraph 16.5-16.6) to take action against the background of increasing incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in some parts of the world. |
| Action to be Taken: |
Paragraph 6 |
| Related documents: |
MSC 68/23, paragraph 16.5 and 16.6 |
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1 The Committee, at its sixty-eighth session (MSC 68/23, paragraph 16.5), noting that the situation with respect to piracy and armed robbery against ships had deteriorated in some parts of the world, requested the Secretary-General to enter into consultations, at Ambassadorial level, with the Governments of countries in whose waters acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships had most frequently been reported and if, as a result of such consultations, the Governments concerned indicated a willingness to co-operate with IMO experts, authorized him to organize missions to the countries in a further effort to sensitize them to the need to prevent and suppress such acts.
2 In addition, the Committee instructed the Secretariat to seek the necessary funds to organize, in co-operation with Governments in regions most affected, seminars to explain the problem of piracy and armed robbery and the Organization's recommendations on how to deal with them.
3 Pursuant to the above instructions, the Secretary-General has entered into consultations with the Ambassadors and High Commissioners in London of countries where piracy and armed robbery have most frequently been reported. As a result of these consultations, agreement has been reached for the Organization to send missions of experts to a selected number of countries to further discuss the implementation in those countries of the IMO guidelines for preventing and suppressing piracy and armed robbery against ships (MSC/Circs.622 and 623). The missions are to be followed by regional seminars intended to assist Governments and officials in the countries concerned to enhance their capability for preventing and suppressing such unlawful acts in their waters.
4 The Secretariathas drawn up a budget for four regional seminars planned to be held, subject to the availability of funds, in Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, Lagos and Aden for selected countries in South East Asia, South and Central America, West Africa and the Indian Ocean regions respectively. The Governments of Denmark, Greece and the United Kingdom and Inmarsat have so far positively responded to the Secretary-General's request for financial support to implement the project. This has enabled arrangements to be made for holding the first of the contemplated regional seminars in Rio de Janeiro probably in October 1998.
5 Further information on developments in this field of activity will be provided orally during the session.
Action requested of the Sub-Committee
6 The Committee is invited to note the information provided and take appropriate action.
H:/MSC/69/16.2
MSD/NAV/EOA/jn
For reasons of economy, this document is printed
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bring their copies to meetings and not to request
additional copies.
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