UNSC renews mandate to fight Somali pirates

The UN Security Council Wednesday renewed the mandate for states and regional bodies to fight Somali pirates for another year, noting that piracy and armed robbery are still exacerbating the situation in the country.

The 15-member UN body unanimously adopted the resolution, stressing the need for "a comprehensive response" to repress piracy and tackle its underlying causes by the international community.

The council decides to renew the authorisations granted to states and regional cooperating with Somalia in the fight against piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, Xinhua quoted the resolution as saying.

Since the adoption of the first Security Council resolution on the fighting Somali pirates in June 2008, the incidents of piracy reported off the coast of Somalia are at the lowest levels in recent years, said Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman last month at a briefing to the council.