Trust Fund to Support the Initiatives of States to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia

The Fund

The Trust Fund to Support the Initiatives of States to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia was established by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, on the 27 th January 2010, with a mandate by the forty-six Member States that comprised the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).  The objective of the Fund is to: " is to help defray the expenses associated with prosecution of suspected pirates, as well as other activities related to implementing the Contact Group's objectives regarding combating piracy in all its aspects."

UNODC manages the Trust Fund on behalf of the participating UN Departments, Agencies, Funds and Programmes.

The Trust Fund has been established with two windows of activities:

A. Prosecution and detention-related activities

The natures of activities under this window are practical, operational and require rapid response, as well as of an ordinary project nature. They include:

i.  enabling the payment or reimbursement as rapidly as possible of specific expenses associated with investigating or prosecuting suspected pirates, or imprisoning those convicted;

ii.  enabling other relevant financial support to national jurisdictions, in particular for national legal capacity-building, including supporting evidence gathering capacities, capacities in the field of detention and imprisonment, and mutual legal assistance among and between the States of the region.

B. Other priority activities

i.  enabling other activities related to implementing Contact Group objectives regarding combating piracy in all its aspects, including public communication initiatives.

Fund Governance

The Fund is governed by a Board, chaired by the Department of Politicla Affairs (DPA), with 10 Member States representing the Contact Group, as well as three Participating UN Organisations ( UNODC, IMO and the UN Country Team Somalia, represented by the UN Political Office for Somalia).  The Fund Manager also has a seat ex-officio . The Fund Board meets four times per year, with ad hoc meetings as necessary.

Contributions

Contributions to the Fund may be accepted from governments, intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, private-sector organizations and the public at large, in accordance with the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules. Acceptance of funds from the private sector will be guided by criteria stipulated in the UN Secretary-General's guidelines on cooperation between the UN and Business Community.

In the reporting period up until 31 January 2011 (henceforth, "reporting period"), a total of USD 5,080,918 was received from a total of 10 Member States. Of the total contributions, USD 929,042 was earmarked to Window A, and the remaining balance of USD 4,151,876 was received into the Fund un-earmarked.

 

Fund Recipients

The Trust Fund has so far proven to be an efficient and rapid instrument for supporting mainly prosecution-related initiatives. Up until 31 January 2011, the Trust Fund reviewed a total of twenty projects submitted by seven different UN Organizations. The Trust Fund approved ten of those projects with a total value of USD 3,760,678, The approved projects included a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening the criminal justice and law enforcement institutions in regional states, as well as in Somalia itself, to respond to the challenges of piracy. A media project supporting the objectives of Working Group 4 of the Contact Group was also funded, with the goal of disseminating anti-piracy messages in Somalia.

Most of the funding awarded in 2010 was dedicated to activities that built the capacity of Somalia, as well as regional Members States, in the area of law enforcement, including coastguard support, prosecution and detention.

At this time, only UN Organisations are eligible to receive money from this Trust Fund.  Funding can only be passed to other organisations as implementing partners of eligible participating UN Organisations. For more information on submitting projects for consideration by the Board, please contact the Fund Manager.

Reports

Annual Report 2010 (PDF)

For more information

Please contact the UNODC Fund Manager:

Ms. Tuesday Reitano

Tel: +43 (0)126060 5116

Email: tuesday.reitano@unodc.org


The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia

The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia was created on January 14, 2009 pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1851. This voluntary, ad hoc international forum brings together encourages countries, organizations, and industry groups with an interest in combating piracy.

The Contact Group meets regularly at the United Nations. Its four Working Groups meet regularly around the world to develop and implement national counter-piracy policies and programs.

The Contact Group's participating states are coordinating political, military, and other efforts to bring an end to piracy off the coast of Somalia and to ensure that pirates are brought to justice.

51 countries and seven international organizations (the African Union, the League of Arab States, the European Union, INTERPOL, International Maritime Organization, NATO, and UN Secretariat) now participate in the Contact Group, along with two major maritime industry groups, BIMCO and INTERTANKO, who take part as Observers.