UN Approves Sanctions on Somali Pirates

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to impose sanctions on pirates, arms smugglers, and perpetrators of instability in Somalia in a fresh attempt to help end years of lawlessness in the Horn of Africa nation.

The 15-nation council endorsed a British plan for a council panel to recommend people and entities whose financial assets would be frozen and who would face a travel ban. It also reaffirms an arms embargo.

Enforcing the sanctions poses steep challenges, however, as those responsible for much of the anarchy plaguing the country are well outside any traditional finance system.

"The prime goal is to provide a framework to stem the flow of arms into Somalia, which is such causing such mayhem there," Britain's U.N. Ambassador John Sawers said. "There are other problems — off the coast of Somalia with piracy. There are problems in Somalia itself..."

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Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991 when clan warlords ousted a longtime dictator. The current government, formed in 2004 with the help of the U.N., has failed to protect citizens while it battles a growing Islamist insurgency.

The council action was followed by discussion on the deteriorating situation in Somalia — both on land and at sea, which includes some of the world's most important shipping routes.

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Raisuddin Zenenga reflected the view of many speakers when he said: "Piracy, as well as the recent terrorist attacks against international targets, are only symptoms of the fundamental problem which is the state of anarchy in Somalia."

He said the multinational effort being mobilized to fight the pirates off Somalia — involving the European Union, NATO countries, Russia, India and others — should be replicated to mobilize an international force to tackle the security problems in Somalia itself.

U.S. deputy ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo called for immediate steps to stabilize the deteriorating security situation, which threatens political progress and an Oct. 26 cease-fire agreement between the Somali government and the insurgents.