56 The main problem areas (not necessarily applicable to all three countries) identified were:
- the economic situation currently prevailing in the region;
- certain resource constraints on law enforcement agencies;
- lack of communication and co-operation between the various agencies involved;
- the response time after an incident has been reported to the coastal State concerned by affected ships;
- general problems of incidents reporting, e.g. alerting the nearest coastal State as well as other ships in the area of a ship under attack or threat of attack;
- timely and proper investigation into reported incidents;
- prosecution of pirates and armed robbers when apprehended; and
- lack of regional co-operation.
Recommendations
57 On communication and co-operation between various agencies and the response time after an incident has been reported to the coastal State:
.1 an incident command system for tactical as well as operational response should be adopted in each country concerned to provide a common terminology; integrated communications; a unified command structure; consolidated action plans; a manageable span of control; designated incident facilities; and comprehensive resource management.
.2 existing mechanisms for dealing with other maritime security matters, e.g. smuggling, drug-trafficking and terrorism, should be incorporated into the incident command system in order to allow for efficient use of limited resources;
.3 procedures for rapidly relaying alerts received by communication centres to the entity responsible for action should be developed or, if existing, reviewed.
58 On investigation into reported incidents and prosecution of pirates and armed robbers when caught:
.1 it should be firmly established which entity in each country has responsibility and legal authority for carrying out post-attack investigations, since confusion during the hours after an incident will result in missed investigative opportunities and loss or deterioration of evidence;
.2 the appointed investigation agency should have personnel trained in standard investigative techniques and who are familiar with the legal requirements of the courts of their countries, as it is widely assumed that prosecution, conviction and confiscation of assets of offenders are the most effective means of discouraging would-be offenders;
