KENYA: Increased naval patrols not sufficient to fight piracy off Somali seas, says Commander of EU naval task force

Record ID: 361498

  • Title: KENYA: Increased naval patrols not sufficient to fight piracy off Somali seas, says Commander of EU naval task force
  • Date: 7th January 2009
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (JANUARY 6, 2009) (REUTERS) WIDE SHIP HS PSARA 454 WITH MAERSK CONTAINERS IN FOREGROUND OFFICERS LOADING SUPPLIES INTO THE SHIP COMMODORE ANTONIOS PAPAIOANNOU, COMMANDER, EUROPEAN UNION NAVAL TASK FORCE, WALKING INTO ROOM PAPAIOANNOU WRITING (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMODORE ANTONIOS PAPAIOANNOU, COMMANDER, EUROPEAN UNION NAVAL TASK FORCE, SAYIN "Our mission
  • Embargoed: 22nd January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7TSJX75CXR94H34VQX3U2W2MK
  • Story Text: The commander of the European Union naval task force that has been posted off the Somali coast to fight piracy said on Tuesday (January 6) that increased patrols would not be enough to eradicate piracy in the region even as international navies step up their efforts to stamp out the hijackings.
    Commodore Antonios Papaioannou added that their mission is also to protect World Food Programme (WFP) ships leaving from the Kenya's port of Mombasa.

    "Our mission is to escort and protect WFP ships from Mombasa to Mogadishu as well as to protect vulnerable shipping as defined from the operation headquarters and last but not least is to deter and repress piracy," said Papaioannou speaking at the HS Psara, the flagship of the European Union, which has docked at the Port of Mombasa's berth number 1.
    The HS Psara will be guarding the Miltzow and Rozen, two WFP chartered vessels loading relief aid at the port of Mombasa.

    "Piracy cannot be eradicated fully by naval units. We need a political solution in Somalia which has to deal with peace restoration, law and order in Somalia," he added.
    International interest in solving the crisis in Somalia has risen since a surge in piracy last year that earned the bandits millions of dollars in ransoms and shocked shipping firms.
    Without central government since 1991, Somalia has become the epitome of a failed state and the chaos onshore has fuelled rampant piracy in the busy shipping lanes off the coast.
    More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in a two-year Islamist insurgency, a million people have fled their homes and a third of the population rely on emergency aid.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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