The Kingdom has expressed its utmost concern over the phenomenon of growing maritime piracy, its negative impact on international maritime navigation and its implications on maritime security, including the movement of goods. Addressing the 10th meeting of International Contact Group for Combating Maritime Piracy Off Somalia's Coast at the United Nations here Saturday, Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Aqeel, head of the Saudi delegation to the meeting and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the Kingdom's vision in supporting the political process in Somalia to achieve security and stability. This is, he said, the best way for the international community to eliminate this phenomenon. He said elimination of piracy is an international issue and thus all countries should combine their efforts to combat it. Regional and international powers, he said, should cooperate to take joint and effective action to combat the phenomenon in light of the United Nations Security Council resolutions. In this framework, Al-Aqeel added, all international and regional initiatives to combat piracy must be made in response to the resolutions of the UN Security Council, including the establishment of United Nations Trust Fund to support the legal process to combat the phenomenon. Because of the Kingdom's commitment to eradicate the menace, he said, it has actively participated in the meetings of International Contact Group and its working teams, as well as the meetings held in Djibouti, which were organized by the International Maritime Organization for discussion on modalities to sign a regional memorandum of understanding on anti-piracy in countries bordering the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
