Business & Finance
Djibouti Recognizes EU Naval Force Officer
On Sunday 7 December Djiboutian Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed awarded Commander Bernard Baron (French Navy) the rank and dignity of Officer of the National Order of 27th of June. Commander Baron was presented with the award for his ‘outstanding service and assistance given to the Djibouti
Italian Task Force Air Gets New Commander
On Tuesday 2 December Colonel Giampaolo Schiavo handed over command of the Djiboutian-based Italian Task Force Air (TFA) to Colonel Elio Volpari. During the past four months the TFA team has been operating with the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, and conducted over 200 unmanned aerial flight
Commanders Discuss EUNAVFOR and French Forces Cooperation
Rear Admiral Rando visited Brigadier-General Philippe Montocchio, the Commander of French Forces in Djibouti. They both discussed the current piracy situation in the Gulf of Aden. During the meeting Rear Admiral Rando said: A lot has been done, but we have to maintain focus as piracy is not yet erad
HNLMS Van Speijk, BNS Leopold I Conclude EUNAVFOR Ops
On 30 November 2014 Royal Netherlands Navy warship, HNLMS Van Speijk and Belgian Navy warship, BNS Leopold I, completed their tour of duty with the EU Naval Force off the coast of Somalia. HNLMS Van Speijk joined the EU Naval Force on 24th August and during the last three months she has completed a
ESPS Navarra Conducts Friendly Approaches off Somalia
Over the past few weeks, the EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Navarra, has carried out several friendly approaches to fishing dhows off the northern coast of Somalia. After sighting several fishing dhows, the Spanish frigate established communications with the masters. After a short conversation, the Ma
EUNAVFOR German Frigate FGS Luebeck Visits Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar welcomed the EU Naval Force German frigate, FGS Luebeck, and her crew in to the port of Antsiranana on Monday, 24 November. As a German warship has not visited Madagascar for some time, the German Ambassador, His Excellency Harald Gehrig and FGS Lubeck’s Commanding Officer
ITS Andrea Doria, Tanzania Carry Out LMCB Training
During their recent port visit to Dar es Salaam, the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria conducted Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) training with personnel from the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force. The training included briefings on the procedures for handling Improvised Explosive Devi
ROK’s Director General for International Policy Tours MARCOM
The Republic of Korea’s Director General for International Policy, the Honorable Jeong Kyu Lee, led a delegation of officials visiting NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to meet with MARCOM Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio and discuss issues of shared importance and opportunities for coo
New Aircraft Team Takes Over African Counter-Piracy Ops
On Tuesday 25 November the outgoing 20th Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft Contingent held a Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony with the 21st Contingent team to hand over their counter-piracy duties in the Horn of Africa. The ceremony took place at the French Air Base in Djibouti. The military cere
No Room for Complacency Against Somali Piracy
The Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Major General Martin Smith MBE, visited the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr Koji Sekimizu, at the IMO headquarters in London on Wednesday 26 November. Meeting to discuss the current situation off the Horn of Africa
ESPS Navarra Hosts Local Somali Leaders on Board
During the last week EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Navarra, invited local Somali leaders on board in order to help build relations between the EU Naval Force and the Somali people. After being welcomed on board, the Somalis were given an insight into the EU’s Operation Atalanta, that is helping to ma
BNS Leopold I Holds Maritime Capacity Building with Tanzanian Navy
On 19 and 20 November, during her recent port visit to Dar Es Salam, EU Naval Force warship BNS Leopold I hosted members of the Tanzanian Navy in support of EUCAP Nestor’s initiative to conduct Local Maritime Capability Building (LMCB). On the first day, BNS Leopold I’s crew organised several worksh
Dutch Warship Hosts EU Civilian Crisis Management Committee
During their recent port visit to Djibouti, Dutch warship HNLMS van Speijk hosted a visit from the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, or CIVCOM, which is an advisory body within the European Union dealing with crisis management. The delegation consisted, amongst others, of sixteen
EU’s Operation Atalanta Extended until 2016
The Council has extended the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta by two more years, until 12 December 2016. The Operation’s main focus is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to Somalia; and the deterrence, repression and disruption of piracy off the Somali c