During one of her counter-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia, sailors from Operation Atalanta Italian warship, ITS Euro, recently met the crew of a dhow that was transporting livestock from Somalia to the Middle East.
After warm greetings were exchanged, the dhow’s captain invited some of the Italian sailors on board to meet his crew and to thank them for helping to keep the Somali waters safe from pirates. The Italian team took some supplies with them to give to the crew, such as food and water.
Operation Atalanta warships routinely patrol the waters of the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean to ensure that there is nowhere for pirates to hide and that the attacks that plagued seafarers off the Somali coast just a few years ago do not start up again.
As the Somali coast is now safer, Somali farmers and livestock exporters have been able to increase their access to the enormous markets on the Arabian Peninsula. It is estimated that the livestock industry contributes 40% to Somalia’s Gross Domestic Product, so ensuring that the trading routes remain open is crucial.