UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme: Fortnightly Update
Maritime Crime Programme - Indian Ocean
In Nairobi, UNODC GMCP’s Indian Ocean Forum for Maritime Crime (IOFMC) held its second
Prosecutor's Forum, which was focused on Mutual Legal Assistance and International Cooperation.
Senior prosecutors from Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda were
represented. The forum presented these prosecutors with an opportunity to familiarize them with
how international mutual legal assistance/international cooperation operates in each other's
states. The forum also provided participants with practical training in requesting and engaging in
Mutual Legal Assistance/International Cooperation with the other regional legal teams. Working
through a series of case studies involving wildlife products trafficked by maritime routes, the
prosecutors engaged in a mock request for legal assistance with experts in international law at
hand to offer assistance from practical experience and other case studies. Through this work, the
participants had an opportunity to use different legal tools to examine where the weaknesses and
strengths lie in international cooperation and come up with positive ways to navigate these issues.
Building on this work, UNODC will produce a gap assessment of international cooperation
mechanisms for each of the participating states prosecution offices. These activities have been
partly funded by EU-MASE.
Maritime Crime Programme - Horn of Africa
In Berbera, UNODC’s mentors have just returned from leave and will be working with the
Somaliland Coast Guard to complete the Basic Engineering Course and begin competent crew
training before the end of the year.
In Bosasso, the Bosasso Port Police captured eight small vessels, and crew, which are alleged to be
intended to be used to smuggle migrants to Yemen. The vessels were located at a small coastal town
about 70 km east of Bosasso Port. The boats have been seized and the crews are being investigated
by the Puntland Police. The ability of the Bosasso Port Police to undertake these types of operations
has been facilitated by UNODC's procurement of two outboard motors for the Port Police's boats.
Also in Bosasso, UNODC’s communications expert has installed HF and VHF radios in the new Port
Police Headquarters and looks forward to training Port Police in radio operations.
In Mogadishu, October has been a busy month for the Maritime Police Unit with the change of
season and better weather conditions enabling more time at sea. Activities in October included,
random searches of vessels, document and license checks, and to support for government efforts
with respect to alleged illegal fishing, as well as water safety awareness training at Lido Beach.
UNODC's mentors actively support and encourage the Maritime Police Unit's operations through
the provision of fuel and training for boarding vessels. UNODC's mentors have also trained the
Maritime Police Unit in Water Safety and Rescue techniques, to a level of competence such that they
can now monitor public swimming activities at Lido Beach and provide assistance where needed.
Also in Mogadishu, UNODC's work on the Mogadishu Prison and Court Complex continues apace.
The High Security Cell Block is now 50% complete, the Judge’s Accommodation is now 40%
complete and the Court House is 45% complete. External works include the completion of the
septic tank for the High Security Cell Block and a second septic tank which will serve the Judge’s
Accommodation and Court House is 30% complete with the perimeter wall foundation super
structure complete.
Maritime Crime Programme - Detention and Transfer
On 11 October, UNODC facilitated the repatriation of nine Somali pirates who served their sentence
in Kenya. The nine individuals were repatriated to Galkayo.
On 12 and 13 October in Nairobi, the Detention and Transfer Programme together with the UNODC
Global Prison Programme presented the UNODC "Handbook on the Management of violent
extremist prisoners and the prevention of radicalisation to violence in prisons" at an event
organized for selected countries in East Africa. The event was attended by five delegations from the
region with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Attorney General Office and Prison
Service. Countries provided an overview of the current status of the threat in their respective
countries leading to fruitful discussions. The event was part-funded by EU MASE.
On 14 October, the Detention and Transfer Programme brought together representatives from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Attorney General Office and Prison Service of Kenya, Mauritius and
Seychelles to promote the Adoption of Prisoner Transfer Agreements. Discussions and work
among the said countries is well advanced with draft agreements having been circulated by Kenya
with Mauritius and Seychelles. UNODC congratulates the countries on the work done so far and
stands ready to assist in taking the process further. The event was part-funded by EU MASE.
Last week, the second part of the Smart Security training was delivered at the prison head quarter
in Hargeisa. The UNODC prison mentors facilitated the training in coordination with two trainers
from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. The aim of the training was to follow up on the
development of the participants from the first training in May and to reinforce what they had
already learned. The participants are from different prisons in Somaliland and will return to their
duty stations where they will train their colleagues in Smart Security. Smart Security teaches the
prison officers to handle high risk prisoners with the minimal use of force. The mentors will
develop a training programme for the participants based at Hargeisa Prison for them to training
their colleague regularly in Smart Security.
Maritime Crime Programme - Atlantic
GMCP was involved in several round tables on maritime security leading up to the African Union
Extraordinary Summit on Maritime Security and Safety and Development in Africa, 10 - 15 October
2016 in Lomé, Togo, which ended in Heads of State signing the Charter on maritime security for
Africa. GMCP shared its experiences and expertise in the area of counter-piracy, illicit trafficking by
sea, legal reforms and cooperation. The week offered a great opportunity to present GMCP
programming, meet with key partners and discuss new potential programming.