The 16th session of the Contact Group on Piracy along the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) was held this week in the East African State of Djibouti.
43 delegations from the 62 CGPCS member countries
A total of 43 delegations represented the 62 CGPCS member countries (which include Italy, the U.S., Russia, China, the UK, France, Japan and India) and various international organisations.
“Legal certainty a necessary condition for effective international action”
During the meeting, Italian coordinator for piracy issues Paola Imperiale illustrated the role of leadership our country has assumed in international efforts to repress and eradicate the phenomenon of piracy, underscoring how legal certainty was a necessary condition for effective international action, and indicating the Italian marines being detained in India as a case in point.
“Our efforts can only be considered successful”, she underscored, “if all countries comply with customary international law and treaties. We are very concerned about the case, in India, of two Italian marines being held in the possible killing of two fishermen. We remain convinced that to ensure freedom of navigation the principle of exclusive jurisdiction of the flag-flying State in international waters must be respected and strictly applied as regards the involvement of both ships and personnel aboard”.
On Italy’s request, the official declaration adopted at the end of the sessions, in addition to citing the principle of cooperation and collaboration of the States concerned, reiterated that of respect for international law.
