WAM X X X Continued.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World , said: "Once more, we are proud to help facilitate this important dialogue. We are very much aware that the private sector continues to be directly impacted by the threat of piracy; hence we wish to reiterate our endeavour in collaborating closely with the respective governments and the international community in this regard. Piracy is indeed a growing destabilizing factor that needs to be combated, not only to help facilitate the safe flow of trade across nations but also to provide a safe working environment for seafarers and peace of mind for their families.

"We are of the view that collaboration through public-private partnership will go a long way to facilitating preventive measures as well as long term solutions to the problem." The UAE's second high-level, public-private counter-piracy conference will further explore key areas of the progress made so far in the global fight against piracy, and comes on the heels of a range of UAE-led counter-piracy initiatives, including its current Chairmanship of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.

This year's conference promises to provide a new, regionally-based platform from which the international community can develop the effective response required by the emerging global consensus that maritime piracy represents one of the most uniquely threatening challenges of the 21st century.

WAM/AB