Following their successful hosting of the Somali Prime Minister and the EU Ambassador to Somalia on Monday, sailors and marines from EU NAVFOR’s Spanish flagship, ESPS Galicia, have been assisting staff from EUCAP Somalia, to train members of the Somali maritime police unit together with the AMISOM’s marine unit at sea off the coast of Mogadishu.

The training included how to plan effective patrols at sea and boarding a vessel that is suspected of being involved in piracy and other illegal activity.

Maritime training with regional partners is an extremely important aspect of the European Union’s efforts to help develop the capabilities of local maritime forces and to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Speaking about the training EUCAP Somalia’s Head of Operations said “the development of the maritime police in Mogadishu is a critical element in supporting Somalia in securing its principal sea port and its approaches.”