18 April 2011 – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today called for a comprehensive response to maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia, saying the menace is a consequence of the overall insecurity, lack of a stable national government and underdevelopment in the Horn of Africa country.

“Piracy is not a water-borne disease. It is a symptom of conditions on the ground, including the overall security and political situation in Somalia,” Mr. Ban said in a message to a conference on piracy in Dubai, whose theme is “Global Threat, Regional Responses: Forging a Common Approach to Maritime Piracy.”

“Therefore, our response must be holistic and comprehensive, encompassing simultaneous action on three fronts: deterrence, security and the rule of law, and development. We must work with the Somalia authorities, and we must weave our counter-piracy efforts into an overall solution for Somalia,” said Mr. Ban in the message, which was delivered on his behalf by Patricia O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs.

Piracy is not a water-borne disease. It is a symptom of conditions on the ground, including the overall security and political situation in Somalia.

The Secretary-General said the work of the international Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia is vital in facilitating discussion and coordination among States, organizations, the Somalia Transitional Federal Government, the country’s regional administrations and the various navies carrying out military action.

The Contact Group was established in 2009, under a Security Council resolution, to facilitate discussion and coordinate actions among States and regional organizations to suppress piracy.