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AFM team being readied for Somalia operation |
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Saturday, 13 March 2010 |
 A team of Maltese soldiers will soon be dispatched to Somalia to take part in an EU mission against sea piracy. Malta was engaged in talks with the Dutch government to establish the role of its army in the mission,
dubbed Operation Atalanta, a government spokesman said.
EU Council sources were more specific, however, saying Malta will be
sending 12 highly-trained soldiers to be stationed on a Dutch warship.
"The Maltese soldiers will be engaged in patrolling the Somali coast
together with their counterparts from other member states and to
intervene whenever necessary," the sources said.
The platoon will join the almost 1,500 troops from various member states
already present in the area for the mission.
The sources also said that Malta, through three infantry trainers from
the Armed Forces of Malta, would be taking part in another EU mission in
Uganda to train Somali security forces. They would be in Uganda in the
spring.
The aim is to train 2000 Somali recruits up to platoon level, including
specialised training for officers.
The government spokesman said Malta's participation in Operation
Atalanta was in the island's interest as it had one of the largest
shipping registers in the EU.
"It is in our direct interest to protect these Malta-registered ships,
which are having enormous difficulties navigating close to Somali
waters. The success of this EU operation will also affect shipping
routes. If the Somali coast remains dangerous, ships might tend to start
bypassing the Suez Canal and take a different route. That would affect
our maritime trade directly as we will have fewer ships passing close to
Malta, directly affecting many maritime services we supply such as
bunkering and transhipment."
Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping
since the beginning of the Somali civil war a few years ago. Since 2005,
many international organisations, including the International Maritime
Organisation and the World Food Programme, have expressed concern over
the rise in acts of piracy, which has also contributed to an increase in
shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Tens of
ships, including Maltese registered vessels, have been hijacked by
Somali pirates who then negotiate their release for a massive ransom.
The participation of AFM personnel in EU military missions is not new
although this is the first time that Malta will be contributing
significantly since joining the bloc in 2004.
Two Maltese soldiers are taking part in an EU mission in Georgia
together with 380 soldiers dispatched to the region after the brief war
with Russia in 2008. Another Maltese officer has been working for the
past few months in London where Operation Atalanta's coordination office
is based.
Source: Times of Malta
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