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| Africa Horn |
| EU warships escort WFP food supplies to Somalia |
| 2013-12-15 |
| The EU naval force said Friday it successful completed a three-day escort of a UN World Food Programme (WFP) chartered food supplies to Somalia from Kenya, APA reports quoting Xinhua. In a statement, the anti-piracy taskforce said its Spanish EU Naval Force ship ESPS Tornado escorted WFP ship from Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa to the port of Kismayo in Somalia to deliver the much needed assistance to Mogadishu. ”During the escort, members of the Spanish Navy crew remained on constant look-out, with the ship’s helicopter ready to launch at short notice to help deter any pirate attack,” the statement said. The UN food agency has delivered over 100 shipments to the Horn of Africa despite lack of protection and now reduced piracy incidents in Somali waters. Several governments have provided naval escorts for ships carrying food aid since November 2007 to troubled Somalia, and since then, no ship carrying WFP supplies has seen pirates’ attacks. The Spanish Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel ESPS Tornado is currently on her first deployment with EU NAVFOR. The protection of humanitarian aid carried by WFP ships is one of the key tasks of Operation Atalanta. European Union navies participating in EU NAVFOR also deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia and protect vulnerable ships. The EU Naval Force warships are also providing protection to the UN chartered vessels supplying the AMISOM which is supporting the transitional Somali government to stabilize the lawless nation. |
| Posted by:Steve White |