Medeshi Dec 9 , 2008
David Miliband
Foreign Secretary
Yesterday marked the launch of the European Union's naval mission to tackle piracy in the Gulf of Aden and along the Somali Coast, under British command. It is a hugely tough job, inextricably linked to the ground situation in Somalia, but vital for global trade and security. The mission's key roles are to protect World Food Programme humanitarian deliveries to Somalia, protecting other vulnerable shipping and deterring and disrupting piracy more widely.
Yesterday marked the launch of the European Union's naval mission to tackle piracy in the Gulf of Aden and along the Somali Coast, under British command. It is a hugely tough job, inextricably linked to the ground situation in Somalia, but vital for global trade and security. The mission's key roles are to protect World Food Programme humanitarian deliveries to Somalia, protecting other vulnerable shipping and deterring and disrupting piracy more widely.
The mission, called Operation "Atalanta", also includes airborne surveillance in known piracy high risk areas. Warships and patrol aircraft from eight nations including the UK are so far committed to participate in "Atalanta", and the EU has made clear it would welcome participation by non-EU member states too, in recognition that this is a shared international problem and responsibility. It is a good example of the EU bringing together the resources of member states to good effect.
