Source: http://formin.finland.fi/
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has come up with a grant of Euro 190 000 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Piracy Prisoner Transfer Programme (PPTP).
Grant towards the program will be mainly used for constructing a new prison at Garowe, Puntland in Somalia. This 500 bed prison will basically be meant to house convicted Somali pirates. Moreover, all the operations including construction, mentoring and monitoring of the prison will adhere to minimum international standards.
Finland has taken up the initiative of funding the PPTP based upon its intention to assist the strengthening of rule of law in Puntland through support for the country’s capacity to fight serious crime, and to bring pirates into justice. The outcomes of this support will in turn help that country in attaining the development of a constitutional state, economically and socially sustainable development, as well as resolving crises.
The foremost challenge the region is facing at the moment in bringing pirates to justice is that Somalia, and the other states in the area, are lacking prison capacity.
The PPTP has already been progressing in Kenya and Seychelles as a part of the UNODC Counter Piracy Programme Strategy. The program is specifically aimed at addressing the objective of having humane and secure imprisonment in Somalia.
It has been observed by the UN that if minimum standards for prisoner care are maintained and sentenced prisoners are imprisoned in their home countries, the results are far much better, instead of imprisonment in regional countries, as it helps with social reintegration and with meeting humanitarian needs.
Finland has committed to support the programme in 2011. Euro 190 000 aid will mainly be used for constructing the prison, and the procurement of necessary equipment and vehicles. The programme is scheduled to officially start in September 2011 and the prison will be ready for use within one and a half years after the commencement of construction.
