On 24 February 2013, whilst on counter piracy patrols in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) the Force Commander of EU NAVFOR, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met with the Commander of the NATO counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield, Rear Admiral Antonio Natale.
The meeting between the two force commanders was an opportunity to discuss and reaffirm the high level of co-operation that exists between the two forces fighting against piracy off Somalia. Both Rear Admiral García de Paredes and Rear Admiral Natale stressed the importance of maintaining the information sharing and co-ordination between EU NAVFOR and NATO.
Speaking about the meeting held onboard EU NAVFOR flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez, Rear Admiral García de Paredes said: “Both the EU Naval Force and NATO understand that we need to maintain the pressure on pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. The recent apprehension of two separate pirate groups in the Somali Basin clearly shows that pirates are still active. For this reason, counter-piracy forces and seafarers sailing through the High Risk Area cannot lower their guard. There is no room for complacency”.