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<p class="" data-start="0" data-end="254"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres has emphasised the urgent need to intensify efforts to tackle the root causes of maritime insecurity. Addressing a UN Security Council open debate chaired by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, </span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Guterres stated that &ldquo;Threats to maritime security cannot be addressed without also addressing issues like poverty, a lack of alternative livelihoods, insecurity, and weak governance structures.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="434" data-end="603"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He noted that the United Nations is working across its agencies with impoverished coastal communities to create new opportunities for decent and sustainable employment.&ldquo;Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment,&rdquo; he said.</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="803" data-end="1031"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Guterres warned that maritime spaces are under growing pressure from both traditional threats and emerging dangers. These include contested maritime boundaries, the depletion of natural resources, conflict, and organised crime.&ldquo;Without maritime security, there can be no global security,&rdquo; he told the Council. &ldquo;From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together. They have long been the primary means for the trade and transport of not only people, goods and commodities, but also cultures and ideas.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="1328" data-end="1636"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Secretary-General drew attention to a &ldquo;sharp upward reversal&rdquo; in piracy and armed robbery at sea during the first quarter of 2025, highlighting the impact of the Houthi campaign in the Red Sea. He warned that the campaign has &ldquo;disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="1638" data-end="1912"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The situation follows nearly two years of turmoil in the Red Sea, a key shipping corridor that connects global trade via the Suez Canal. In late 2023, Yemen&rsquo;s Houthi militia launched a campaign to block Israel-linked shipping, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="1914" data-end="2388"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In response, the United States launched <em data-start="1954" data-end="1985">Operation Prosperity Guardian</em> to target Houthi missile launch sites and infrastructure. The European Union deployed its naval mission <em data-start="2090" data-end="2108">EUNAVFOR Aspides</em>, while Israel conducted extensive airstrikes on Sanaa, Yemen&rsquo;s capital, and the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah. Earlier this month, a US-mediated ceasefire deal was reached with the Houthis, brokered through Oman, but hostilities between the militia and Israel continue.</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="2390" data-end="2632"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">To strengthen global maritime security, Guterres called for three key measures: greater respect for international law; deeper efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity; and inclusive partnerships involving all relevant actors.&ldquo;The international legal framework for maritime security is only as strong as states&rsquo; commitment to its implementation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Globally, more must be done to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="2917" data-end="2968"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He concluded with a call for inclusive cooperation:&ldquo;We must involve everyone with a stake in maritime spaces&mdash;from coastal communities to governments and regional groups, and from shipping companies and flag registries to the fishing and extraction industries, insurers and port operators. Let&rsquo;s take action to support and secure maritime spaces, and the communities and people counting on them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="" data-start="2917" data-end="2968"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong><ins><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb34ERXCnA7lrMp57S3N" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="content">Follow the&nbsp;<em>Benefit News</em>&nbsp;channel&nbsp;on WhatsApp</a></ins></strong></span></p>
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Guterres stated that maritime security threats can't be solved without addressing poverty, insecurity, and weak governance

UN Chief Urges Action on Maritime Insecurity Causes

Guterres stated that maritime security threats can't be solved without addressing poverty, insecurity, and weak governance

May 21, 2025 | 10:18 IST