ABU DHABI // The UAE assistant minister of security has backed calls for a new international system to make it easier to bring pirates to justice.
Faris Al Mazrouei, the assistant minister for security and military affairs at the ministry of foreign affairs, said at today's meeting of a six-nation Contact Group that he hoped a programme could be agreed on, to help Somalia improve its justice system.
He told the meeting of senior security officials from Italy, the US, Denmark, UK, Egypt, and Netherlands that "as a maritime nation, the UAE is united in its concern at the threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia".
Representatives are expected to present and discuss recent developments in their anti-piracy efforts.
Mr Al Mazrouei said the UAE's priorities were in the fields of public awareness and outreach, increasing "compassionate" support to Somalia, enhancing the region's capacity to respond to piracy, and highlighting the role of education in countering piracy.
"We want to spread understanding of the issue and the challenges of responding," he said. "So we can all work together towards solving this problem."
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) was created in New York two years ago following a UN Security Council resolution.
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F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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