On 16 and 17 October, Operation ATALANTA Commander visited Seychelles to participate in the EU-Seychelles Partnership Dialogue. He also took the opportunity to visit national authorities to strengthen the relationship with Seychelles.
From 16 to 17 October, Operation ATALANTA Commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, visited Seychelles to participate in the EU-Seychelles Partnership Dialogue that brought together EU Ambassadors, Seychelles authorities and other EU agencies to discuss common issues.
The first stop was the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC). It was an opportunity to strengthen the coordination and information exchange regarding maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. It should be noted that one of ATALANTA's main efforts in the Area of Operations is the full commitment to reinforce and improve the maritime security architecture in the area, where the Seychelles RCOC is a key player.
At the EU-Seychelles Partnership Dialogue, different topics were covered, including maritime security. During his presentation to the attendees, Vice Admiral Villanueva spoke about the resurgence of piracy and the activities conducted by EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, including big activities in coordination with other forces and centres like the “ALDABRA” exercise.
In the framework of the EU-Seychelles Partnership Dialogue, the Operation Commander also met with the President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, taking advantage of the occasion to highlight the excellent relations with Seychelles and the appreciation for their continuous commitment to ATALANTA. In addition, Vice Admiral Villanueva had the opportunity to discuss with Seychelles Chief of Defence Brigadier Michael Rosette, the relationship with the Seychellois forces and seek for new synergies to increase the already existing fruitful cooperation.
