Albania's Position on Maritime Piracy - the Continuing Incidence of Maritime Piracy

DISEC

Topic B: The Continuing Incidence of Maritime Piracy

Albania

Defined as, “any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any acts of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed: on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft; against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State; any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft; any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act [stated above],”^[1] maritime piracy is a growing issue in the international community. The third Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was held in 1982, and produced a  newly overhauled convention containing solutions to certain issues like navigation, exclusive economic zones, protection of marine environment, scientific research, transit regimes, limitation on territorial, internal, and various other waters (also known as “setting limits”), continental shelf jurisdiction, deep seabed mining, settlement of disputes, and the exploitation regime.

In total, UNCLOS 3 lasted nine years, and after the Convention closed, it was twelve years before the treaty was put into effect. The debate regarding the Law of the Sea has discernibly brought the world together several times^[2] over the course of the UN’s history, yet there is still no effective solution in place to truly combat maritime piracy. Without full cooperation and a common goal, Albania does not see how such a deeply rooted problem could be eliminated, especially when the economic aspects of combating maritime piracy are considered. For lesser-developed countries (LDC’s), there are priorities that are greater than the issue of piracy, and it is understandable for a nation to put its funding where it is needed most.^[3] Working with international partners is essential for the halt, and eventual eradication, of maritime piracy. Actions have been taken against maritime piracy by the Republic of Albania, along with the other countries that compose NATO, as well as the EU and various other willing and able countries, however, it is still not enough. The lack of proper documentation of piracy by shipping companies as well as the rate of the growth of technology have counterattacked the international community’s efforts to liquidate maritime piracy. However, the lack of reporting can be resolved with a system that will allow anonymous reports of piracy. Implementing a system such as this will eliminate much of the incentive that shipping companies have to remain silent. Additionally, to combat the newfound power residing in the hands of pirates who hold hostages the international community and the country with hostages in question should understand that the likelihood of pirates returning the hostages is slim, and that the money paid for the hostages will likely go towards funding other illicit activity.^[4] By the international community’s refusal to pay hostage money--with terrorist funding on the other end of the payment--and the targeting of international criminal groups, Albania believes that progress toward the elimination of maritime piracy will be made.