The EU Council has voted to extend the EU Naval Force’s Operation ATALANTA until 28th February 2027. The Operation has the task of enhancing maritime traffic security in the north-western Indian Ocean region by preventing and thwarting acts of piracy and illicit trafficking.
ATALANTA began in late 2008 and has succeeded in reducing the threat of piracy in the region. The International Maritime Bureau has recorded only one incident between 2018 and 2023.
This year, however, there has been a dramatic increase in acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia: the IMB recorded no less than eight, including three hijackings and two cases of ships being shot at.
The extension not only regards Operation ATALANTA but also the EU’s military training mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia).
Translation by Giles Foster
