The Dutch Parliament approves the dispatch of a frigate to the Gulf

(B2) The second chamber of the Dutch Parliament approved on Thursday (26 March) the deployment of a frigate – the Hr. Ms. De Zeven Provinciën (F 802) – off the coast of Somalia as part of a defense operation. NATO “Allied Protector” to fight against piracy. The frigate is already present in the region – as part of one of NATO's permanent maritime groups (the SNMG 1) – which is cruising in the area, as part of one of its visits (*).

As the Dutch Ministry of Defense explains, “the ships will devote part of their time against piracy”. The Dutch frigate will thus be present in the area until the end of April, as well as “on the way back“, from mid-to-late June.

The Dutch crew includes 170 soldiers, as well as a team of Marine commandos, two Marechaussee gendarmes and a prosecutor. This thus allows – to carry out the first steps of instruction required in the event of arrest of pirates. Which is rather prudent, given the antecedents. NB: a Dutch frigate will reinforce the EU anti-piracy operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta this summer.

(*) I have already written what I thought of these “NATO cruises. So I wouldn't want to repeat myself. But I find this type of action useless for taxpayers' money and futile. The EU has – in my opinion – more legitimacy to organize a complex and difficult operation off the coast of Somalia. Because it has the legal, political and economic instruments to carry out this type of operation. Its action is serious and long-term: at least one year. And not actions lasting one or two weeks passing through the region. It is useful and judicious for ships from different States to temporarily reinforce this operation. What'NATO inventing an anti-piracy mission, outside of a legal framework (apart from a national system), for ships passing through the area, it's quite daring.

(photo: Dutch Ministry of Defense. “From Zeven Provinciën to the Suez crossing” March 24)

(NGV)