The Somali government received on board the Eunavfor forces

(BRUSSELS2) This is the first time that the government of Somalia has boarded European ships cruising off the coast of the country to ensure the fight against piracy. This Monday (June 24), the Portuguese ship, NRP Alvares Cabral, flagship of EUNavfor Atalanta, thus welcomed on board the 5 members of the government and the representatives of the EU (the head of the EUCAP mission Nestor, the EU special envoy to Somalia and commander of Atalanta ). Two other ships, the German frigate FGS Augsburg and the Spanish ship ESPS Numancia, participated in this event which took place 5 miles off the coast.

Arriving at Mogadishu airport, the representatives flew aboard German and Portuguese Navy Lynx helicopters. Given the security situation in Mogadishu - it is specified at Atalanta HQ, the operation was closely monitored in terms of security. The Spanish Numancia SH-60B helicopter and a P3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (from the Spanish army) provided aerial surveillance while African forces from AMISOM and European forces from EUTM provided ground protection on the Mogadishu airport.