UN to support repatriation of Somalian pirates in the Maldives

United Nations Trust Fund for the Fight against Piracy has decided to provide support in the repatriation of the Somalian pirates currently under Maldivian authorities.

The UN anti-piracy trust fund approved a package of projects on the 30th of last month, in support of anti-piracy efforts in Somalia and other States affected by piracy, including Maldives, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and the Seychelles.

The projects are expected to facilitate the repatriation from the Maldives to Somalia of detainees suspected of piracy, as well as supporting Kenyan prisons in meeting minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners.

The five projects worth $2 million aim to ensure that the ongoing piracy trials are conducted in a fair and efficient manner and that the human rights, health and safety of individuals suspected of piracy are protected.

United Nations states that the projects will equip detainees and youth at risk in Somalia with skills employable in gainful livelihoods, deterring their involvement in piracy and contributing to the economic development of their communities.

The projects are also planned to provide biometrics-based fishermen database systems to support monitoring and surveillance of fisheries resources, while providing important information to counter-piracy forces. Support will also be provided to law enforcement authorities and prosecutors in front-line States affected by piracy to investigate illicit financial flows from piracy, revealed the UN.

Forty Somalian citizens reside under Maldivian authorities, the majority of who had drifted to Maldivian waters. Maldives Foreign Ministry had previously stated that they are working to repatriate them back to Somalia.