The Council of Ministers is expected to plan a European Security and Defence Policy (ESPD) operation in Somalia, in parallel with the anti-piracy Operation Atalanta, to contribute to the training of transitional federal government security forces. The European Parliament outlined this in a resolution adopted on 26 November for “a political solution to piracy off the Somali coast” ⁽¹⁾.

At its 17 November meeting, the EU’s Defence Council already said it would in principle be in favour of sending an ESDP mission to train security forces, but the initiative remains a question of crisis management for the moment (see Europolitics3862). Parliament said it was pleased but added that “the adoption of this concept should in no way prejudge the decision on launching a mission, which can be taken only after a more detailed examination of the situation on the ground, making sure that human rights are respected, salaries are paid and equipment is provided and that the trained security forces are integrated into state and command structures so that, once they return, they will not turn against the government they are supposed to be protecting”.

The Parliament text argues that combating piracy off the Somali coast will not be fruitful unless the root causes are tackled: poverty and failure of the state. The MEPs were concerned that weakness shown in the face of pirates’ demands and that the absence of forceful options for response could encourage more piracy in the area. The resolution called on the international community, in particular the EU, to increase humanitarian aid to people displaced within the country and to other areas where people were in need.

The resolution also asked EU member states to look into the possibility of training crews and fishermen in case they were taken hostage.

While no political solution was offered to the problem of Somalia’s weakened state, the security strategy brought by the EU naval operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta must be imposed, the MEPs agreed. It would even be advisable to strengthen its means and to extend the theatre of action for the deployed forces, they said. The MEPs also asked for member states to ensure that all of their vessels in the area were registered with the central maritime security coordination point, as requested by Atalanta command.

Operation Atalanta, launched in 2008, has successfully contributed to the maritime security of the seas around Somalia, notably protecting around 50 vessels of the World Food Programme, the resolution noted. n

⁽¹⁾ The document is available at www.europolitics.info > Search = 261701