Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia's civil war in the early 1990s. Since 2005 many international organizations including the International Maritime Organization and the World Food Programme have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy. Piracy has contributed to a rise in shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Ninety percent of the World Food Programme's shipments arrive by sea and ships have required a military escort. According to the Kenyan foreign minister Somali pirates have received over $150 million (US dollars) in ransom money during the 12 months prior to November 2008.

Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia's civil war in the early 1990s. Since 2005 many international organizations including the International Maritime Organization and the World Food Programme have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy. Piracy has contributed to a rise in shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Ninety percent of the World Food Programme's shipments arrive by sea and ships have required a military escort. According to the Kenyan foreign minister Somali pirates have received over $150 million (US dollars) in ransom money during the 12 months prior to November 2008.

On October 7 2008 the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1838 calling on nations with vessels in the area to apply military force to repress the acts of piracy. At the 101st council of the International Maritime Organization India called for a United Nations peacekeeping force under unified command to tackle piracy off Somalia.

非洲東部國家索馬里沿海海盜日益猖獗，已嚴重影響到國際航運。該國海盜興起于上世紀90年代初的索馬里內(nèi)戰(zhàn)。自2005年以來，許多國際組織，其中包括國際海事組織和世界糧食計劃署對此地猖獗的海盜行為表示關(guān)注。海盜的行為使航運運輸成本增加，阻礙了非洲糧食援助的正常運送。世界糧食計劃署百分之九十的運送糧食的海上船只要求軍隊護送。據(jù)肯尼亞外交部長透露，2008年11月之前的12月里，索馬里海盜已經(jīng)索取了超過1.5億美元的贖金。

Piracy is increasingly rampant off the coast of Somalia, an Eastern African country, which has seriously affected international shipping. Pirates in the country emerged from the Somali civil war in the early 1990s. Since 2005, many international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the world food programme, have expressed concern about the rampant piracy here. Piracy has increased the cost of shipping and transportation, hindering the normal delivery of food aid in Africa. Ninety percent of the World Food Programme's ships carrying food require military escorts. According to Kenya's foreign minister, Somali pirates had demanded more than $150 million in ransom in the December before November 2008.

2008年10月7日，聯(lián)合國安理會通過1838號決議，呼吁各國船只在該地區(qū)對海盜行為實行武力鎮(zhèn)壓。在國際海事組織的第101次理事會上，印度呼吁聯(lián)合國授權(quán)在維持和平部隊的統(tǒng)一指揮下解決索馬里海盜。

On October 7, 2008, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 1838, calling on ships of all countries to use force to suppress piracy in the region. At the 101st IMO Council meeting, India called on the United Nations to authorize the resolution of Somali pirates under the unified command of the peacekeeping forces.