The maritime operation in Somalia blocked… by the United Kingdom

(BRUXELLES2) Not a week goes by without pirates boarding a yacht or fishing boat off the coast of Somalia. A dozen boats and people, including several Europeans, would thus be detained on the semi-autonomous territory of Puntland, awaiting the payment of the ransom. In June, the United Nations authorized the use of maritime force (*). The European Union has offered to carry out this mission. But, for several weeks, meetings have followed one another, in particular at the Political and Security Committee (Cops), in Brussels, and 27s can't always agree on the implementation of this maritime operation ( Somalia, the first maritime operation for Defense Europe?).

Differences and many questions

It's not really a capacity issue, at least for now. Several States (Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, etc.) have offered ships. There are differences on "thegoal"of the mission: should we actively fight against piracy, provide more passive protection for ships, provide escort for World Food Program ships that are supplying food relief to the countries of the Horn of Africa, where the situation is dramatic according to the WFP (P.Goossens (PAM): we still don't have an escort for our boats)? But these differences seem surmountable: the operation could aim at the same time the fight against piracy and the accompaniment of the boats of the Pam. There are also some questions legal serious - what to do with pirates seized by European ships? etc - or "funding" of the mission. All these questions are all the more posed as the EU has never set up a maritime operation. And there is no precedent in itself. We "navigate a little towards the unknown" admits an expert of the file. But it must be recognized that the problem is above all political.

A British veto "in principle"

The very principle of launching an operation comes up against an fundamental veto. The United Kingdom does not want a European defense incursion into a new area. It would, in fact, be the first maritime operation ever launched by the Europeans. And the British would prefer an operation from another organization, such as NATO or a coalition and following the best practices. Like that already carried out on the spot by the anti-terrorist coalition "Enduring freedom"led by the Americans, the TF150. There is however a certain risk of confusion: the objective of the TF 150 is above all the fight against terrorism and its mandate differs from an operation against piracy (as defined by the UN resolution). This mixing of genres could be detrimental to both operations. The risk is also that the pirates multiply the raids. And that the Europeans are, finally, forced to intervene. Under the pressure of the emergency...

Instead of an operation, a simple "coordination"

The European Union could, suddenly, decide at least. A "light" coordination unit will be set up quickly within the EU General Staff, made up of a few people (about 4-5). It will be led by a Spanish captain who has just been recruited (not an Admiral to prevent him from having command authority over the ships). Its mission: to coordinate, i.e. in particular to ensure the exchange of information between all the partners involved: the boats of the Member States or the TF150 on site, the shipowners (in particular the London office), the WFP ...

The cost of this unit could be covered, according to the Athena solidarity financial mechanism. Belgium and the Netherlands were in particular opposed to the use of this mechanism for what was not a European "operation". The decision should be taken, by written procedure, on September 19. It is a "first step" towards a maritime operation, underline several Member States, the last step of the operation for others (the United Kingdom especially).

(NGV)

(*) The maritime operation, in itself, would be a last resort, according to a military specialist. "Only a land operation could overcome the pirates. But no one is willing to go (or come back, if we remember the episode of the American Marines) on Somali territory".