Somalia Piracy Followup

Recently, I discussed the latest pirate attack in Somalia’s territorial waters and asked a series of questions about possible responses to it. My questions have been answered:

In February, the United Nations adopted a resolution urging member states with ships and aircraft adjacent to the coast of Somalia to be vigilant about any incidents of piracy and to protect merchant shipping, particularly involving humanitarian aid. Several nations, including the United States, are now seeking U.N. approval to go beyond international waters into Somalia’s territorial waters.

The U.S. and France introduced a draft resolution to Security Council members at a closed meeting Monday afternoon. It is co-sponsored by Britain and Panama, according to AP. The resolution allows nations to enter Somalia’s territorial waters to board, search and seize and arrest those onboard ships suspected in engaging in piracy, according to AP. Under international law, territorial waters generally extend about 14 miles from a sovereign country’s shores.

While this is not as much new as a formalization of the status quo based on Somalia’s decades of anarchy, it is a potentially important precedent whereby the UN, spearheaded by the West, infringes upon the sovereignty of a country when that country is unable to properly police and control its territory. How many more such resolutions may we see regarding other African or Asian nations?