EUCAP Nestor re-launched as EUCAP Somalia

Under a new, broadened civilian maritime security mandate, the EU Maritime Capacity Building Mission to Somalia, EUCAP Nestor, has been renamed as EUCAP Somalia.

With an active presence in Mogadishu, Hargeisa (Somaliland) and Garowe (Puntland), EUCAP Somalia works to strengthen Somali capacity to ensure maritime security and to carry out fisheries inspection and enforcement, ensure maritime search and rescue, counter smuggling, fight piracy and police the coastal zone on land and at sea.

The new mission’s mandate was presented to the Somali Authorities, the public, the media and the international partners by the European Union External Action Service Civilian Operations Commander (CivOpsCdr), Kenneth Deane, who visited Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland, between March 6^th and 8^th , and EUCAP Somalia Head of Mission, Maria-Cristina Stepanescu.

For the occasion series of events, with the participation of Somali Authorities, Somali partners of the mission, the media and representatives from the international community, were organised in Mogadishu, Hargeisa (Somaliland), Garowe (Puntland) and Nairobi, Kenya

On March 6^th, the CivOpsCdr met Somali and international Authorities at the International Campus in Mogadishu, where the mission’s HQ is located.

On March 7^th, he was in Garowe, Puntland, for the official opening of the Mission’s Field Office.

On March 8^th, the official opening of the new EUCAP premises in Hargeisa took place.

On March 9^th, the CivOpsCdr addressed the press in Nairobi (Kenya) about the EU’s support to capacity building around the world, as well as EUCAP Somalia’s mandate and action plan.

“Our thoughts are very much with the Somali people at this time, when food insecurity threatens so many.  EU humanitarian aid will contribute to alleviating that. On the Security and Defence side, EUCAP Somalia will continue to support a restructured Somali Maritime Security Architecture, with the aim of contributing to a stable and secure Somalia. A stable and secure Somalia means increased security for the population and the chance for it to benefit from the peace dividends”, said Kenneth Deane, European Union External Action Service Civilian Operations Commander.