The Somali Police Commissioner invited EUCAP Somalia’s Head of Mission Maria-Christina Stepanescu and Chris Reynolds, A/Deputy Head of Mission to join an important meeting with political representatives on Friday May 5, 2017.
Apart from the Somali Police Commissioner Brigadier General Abdihakim Dahir Sa’eed “Saacid” and the Deputy Police Commissioner General Bashir Abdi Mohamed, the Attorney General, Minister of Ports, Minister of Communication, were also present at the meeting held at the Commercial Port in Mogadishu.
The Admiral of the Somali Navy and other high ranked officers from the Somali Navy, Maritime Police and the Somali Police Force also attended the meeting.
The Police Commissioner made a statement to local press that a new Somali National Coast Guard would be structured under the Somali Police Force and would work alongside the Maritime Police Units of the federal member states and the Navy.
EUCAP Somalia’s Head of Mission also gave a television interview re-enforcing the EU’s support for Somalia and the importance of maritime security in developing a safe and stable maritime economy.
After the interviews the party went to sea in a maritime police boat and witnessed an armed boarding and arrest exercise.
Background
EUCAP is a civilian EU mission, under the auspices of the Common Security and Defence Policy, which assists Somalia in strengthening its capacity to ensure maritime security.
