Maritime Crime and Piracy

All countries, regardless of their location, depend on the safety of the oceans and waters. As confirmed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation is considered a vital principle of international law. Whether coastal or landlocked, states can be affected by the impact of threats posed at sea or international waters such as piracy and armed robbery, terrorism, drug trafficking and trafficking in nuclear materials and firearms, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, waste trafficking and illegal activities in the fisheries sector. 
As commercial air travel decreased and land border controls increased in 2020 due to COVID-19, illicit drug trafficking on maritime and waterway routes accelerated in Europe, Latin America, North Africa, and South-East Asia. According to UNODC’s 2021 World Drug Report, record shipments of cocaine were seized in European ports during the pandemic. Preliminary data from 12 countries indicate that quantities seized in seaports were up 18 per cent last year.
The UNODC's Global Maritime Crime Programme was established to support Member States in: 
1) Law Enforcement 2) Detection/Interdiction 3) Investigation 4) Prosecution 5) Detention 6) Regional Cooperation  
The Gulf of Aden sub-programme of GMCP assists Yemen in addressing maritime crime. Under the programme, UNODC is supporting the capacities of the Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) authorities and the rebuilding of the Yemen Coastguard (YCG).
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Working to address maritime crime and piracy supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG10, SDG16, and SDG17