Delahunt Briefing On International Efforts To Combat Piracy

05/13/2009
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced that the House Foreign Affairs Oversight Subcommittee will meet tomorrow to be updated on new international plans to fight the spread of maritime piracy.

The recent wave of pirate hijackings has focused the world’s attention on the increased need to protect vessels from criminal activities on the sea.  This hearing is the second of a series exploring current efforts to fight piracy and what international community is doing to protect ships from future hijackings.  Last month the Subcommittee heard from State Department and Coast Guard officials.  

Tomorrow, the Subcommittee will hear from the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Mr. Antonio Maria Costa.  Mr. Costa has significant experience in fighting crime in other trouble spots around the world.  He has an extensive background in fighting organized crime in Europe and battling drug cartels in the Caribbean.  He will discuss how the lessons learned from these successful initiatives will be applied to new international efforts to fight piracy at sea.

DATE:                  Thursday May 14, 2009

TIME:                  10:00 A.M.

LOCATION:       Room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building

SUBJECT:             UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Role in Combating Piracy

WITNESS:      

Mr. Antonio Maria Costa
Executive Director
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

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