UNODC Commends Students Following Maritime Training Courses
FORTY-EIGHT students from eight Indian Ocean countries including Seychelles following this year’s maritime security training courses taking place here were welcomed in a ceremony at the Coral Strand Hotel earlier this week.
The course started on Monday and is expected to end tomorrow.
The maritime security training courses were developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the University of Seychelles in 2013 with the support of academics from Australian universities. UNODC in partnership with the University of Seychelles offered the diploma module twice last year (in January 2014 and May 2014) and the advanced diploma module once (in May 2015).
Last year, candidates from Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya and Tanzania followed the programmes.
This year with funding provided by the British government, UNODC has been able to expand it to eight Indian Ocean countries – Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Maldives. This further reinforces the role of Seychelles as a centre of excellence for training in maritime security and counter piracy within the Indian Ocean region.
On Monday evening in the presence of the Minister for Home Affairs Charles Bastienne, British high commissioner Caron Röhsler, chief justice of the Seychelles Supreme Court Judge Mathilda Twomey, dean of the Guy Morel Institute Shella Mohideen, members of the diplomatic corps among other guests, the students were welcomed and commended for enrolling on the short training courses.
Twelve students who excel in these two courses will be invited back next year to join the second cohort for the advanced diploma module in March 2016.
Minister Bastienne said today piracy is history but we should not be complacent.
“We should continue to build up our capacity in order for us to be ready for any eventualities,” he said.
“Seychelles remains committed in dealing with any crime at sea and with the support of the countries in the Indian Ocean and also our friends from the Indian Ocean Commission we can work together in order for us to make sure that we do our best to make the Indian Ocean as safe as possible,” Minister Bastienne added.
“In the fight against piracy Seychelles has shown astute and sincere leadership, has not shied away from committing resources and has demonstrated clearly its ability to galvanise opinion and make progress on behalf of the region”, high commissioner Röhsler said.
She also pointed out that through the skills they will acquire and the experiences they will share, the students will strengthen law enforcement in the form of police forces and custodial facilities across the region.
“The training will enhance the region’s capacity to combat piracy but also strengthen the domestic criminal justice systems,” she added.
Source: Seychelles Nation
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