RAdm Jones & RAdm Hudson in front of the EU flag

Today Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE assumed command of the European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the EU anti-piracy-campaign in the Horn of Africa area. The hand over was conducted in the Operational Headquarters in Northwood near London.

Rear Admiral Peter Hudson took over command from Rear Admiral Philip Jones, who commanded the Operation since it began in December 2008. He also took over responsibility as Commander UK Maritime Force (COMUKMARFOR), the UK’s contingent 2 Star Maritime Component Command. Rear Admiral Jones will now take over a new post in the UK Ministry of Defence.

Rear Admiral Jones had the challenge of getting a very unique and difficult international operation running. The piracy threat is still alive and the operation is still facing many challenges, however after the first six months he can proudly look back on achieving tangible progress. “I believe we have taken counter-piracy a long way in a disproportionate period of time since December 2008”, Rear Admiral Jones said on his final day in Northwood.

Prior to his new task, as Commodore, Rear Admiral Hudson was Commander of the UK Amphibious Task Group (COMATG), during which he commanded a Maritime Coalition Task Force in the Gulf for five months and then led the Royal Navy TAURUS deployment to the Far East from his flagship HMS BULWARK.

RAdm Philip Jones and Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP

On Wednesday, the British Op Atalanta Commander Rear Admiral Phillip Jones welcomed the UK Minister for The Armed Forces, The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, to the EU NAVFOR operations headquarters in Northwood.

During his visit, the Minister was given a comprehensive operational update and guided tour of the headquarters, where he thanked for their efforts the multinational staff drawn from seven EU Member States. On completing his visit, the Minister said:

“I’m impressed by the efforts made by Admiral Jones and his EU-led Naval Force to protect World Food Program shipping off the Somali coast.  Having visited the region myself last month, I know that Operation Atalanta is working well with the Combined Maritime Force and other international partners to make a significant contribution to tackling the problem of piracy.”

This week has seen concerted activity to combat piracy off the Somali coast. EU NAVFOR vessels have been amongst over twenty international warships patrolling the waters, and Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft, attached to EU NAVFOR, have flown reconnaissance missions to help protect merchant shipping in the Indian Ocean and to support the seasonal tuna fishing fleets who have recently entered the same area. Whilst the threat of hijackings remains high, this activity together with Kenya’s commitment to prosecute and imprison those found guilty of piracy, sends a clear message to both the pirates and merchant ship owners of how seriously the international community is taking this illegal activity.

Op Atalanta protecting merchant shipping

Op Atalanta protecting merchant shipping

The video footage of Op Atalanta ship FS FLOREAL capturing suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden can be found at the link here.

The BBC Radio 4 interview with Op Atalanta Commander, Rear Admiral Phil Jones, can be found at the link here.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4 the Op Atalanta’s Commander Rear Admiral Jones made it clear of how aware he was of the owners and operators concerns about piracy and how keen he was to increase his understanding of their needs so he can maximize the effectiveness of the warships under his command.

He went onto praise the merchant shipping community saying:
“The way they are taking self protective measures in their own ships has been one of the most significant elements of countering piracy … many of the piracy attacks that have been deterred and thwarted in recent weeks have been the result of those merchant ships taking effective self protective measures, if a warship cannot get to them in time”.

Following the Greek frigate PSARA’s successful escorting of 2 World Food Program Vessels, the MVs MILTZOW and ROZEN, this week has also seen a fall in the number of successful attacks against merchant vessels and the release of 5 pirated ships and over 70 crew members.

Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), issued the following statement today congratulating the decision taken by the member States at the Political and Security Committee concerning the modalities of a European Union counter-piracy naval operation off the coast of Somalia.

It was decided on 14 October to nominate Northwood (United Kingdom) as headquarters of the operation. Rear-Admiral Philip Jones of the Royal Navy was proposed as the Operation Commander and he was requested to start operational planning with a view to launching the operation in December.

Javier Solana is confident that this operation will be an important contribution by the Union to the protection of vessels from the World Food Programme, protection of vulnerable vessels along the coast of Somalia against acts of piracy.

The EU established a counter-piracy initiative on 15 September, when EU NAVCO was set up. This unit, based in Brussels, provides support for coordination of activities undertaken by member States for surveillance and protection off the coast of Somalia.

Resolution 1838 (2008) of the Security Council of the United Nations of 7 October welcomed the current planning of an eventual naval military operation of the European Union.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
Spokesperson of the Secretary General,
High Representative for CFSP
Tel: +32 (0)2 281 6467 / 5150 / 5151 / 8239
Fax: +32 (0)2 281 5694 internet:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/solana
e-mail: presse.cabinet@consilium.europa.eu

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Today, the Council has adopted a joint action concerning the EU military operation in order to contribute to the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast (13989/08).

The operation – EU NAVFOR Somalia/operation “Atalanta” -, which the EU aims to launch in December, will come in support of Resolutions 1814 (2008), 1816 (2008) and 1838 (2008) of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It aims to contribute to the protection of vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia, the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast, as well as the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

The operation’s mandate will include providing protection to vessels chartered by the WFP, including by means of the presence on board those vessels of armed units, protecting merchant vessels cruising in the areas where it is deployed, keeping watch over areas off the Somali coast, in which there are dangers to maritime activities and taking the necessary measures to deter, prevent and intervene in order to bring to an end acts of piracy and armed robbery which may be committed in the areas where it is present.

Rear admiral Phillip Jones is appointed EU Operation Commander and the EU Operational Headquarters is located at Northwood, United Kingdom

The launch of the operation will represent an intensification of the EU’s efforts to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast, as part of which the Union has established a military coordination cell in September in support of Resolution 1816 (2008) of the Security Council (EU NAVCO)1.

1. OJ L 252 of 20.9.2008, p. 39. www.consilium.europa.eu/eu-navco

EUROPEAN UNION – EUROPEAN SECURITY AND DEFENCE POLICY

Military operation of the EU
EU NAVFOR Somalia

The European Union is getting ready to conduct a military operation in order to contribute to the deterrence, the prevention and the repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast. The Council has adopted a joint action to this end on 10 November 2008.

This military operation, called EU NAVFOR Somalia – operation “Atalanta”, will be launched in support of Resolutions 1814 (2008), 1816 (2008) and 1838 (2008) of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in order to contribute to:

• the protection of vessels of the WFP (World Food Programme) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia;
• the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast, and the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

This operation, which is the first EU maritime operation, will be conducted in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

Mandate

The operation’s mandate will in particular include the following elements:

• provide protection to vessels chartered by the WFP, including by means of the presence on board those vessels of armed units of the operation, in particular when cruising in Somali territorial waters;
• provide protection to merchant vessels cruising in the areas where it is deployed;
• keep watch over areas off the Somali coast, including Somalia’s territorial waters, in which there are dangers to maritime activities, in particular to maritime traffic;
• take the necessary measures, including the use of force, to deter, prevent and intervene in order to bring to an end acts of piracy and armed robbery which may be committed in the areas where it is present.

Structures and plans

Rear admiral Phillip Jones is appointed EU Operation Commander and the EU Operational Headquarters is located at Northwood, United Kingdom

Under the responsibility of the Council, the Political and Security Committee will exercise the political control and strategic direction of the EU military operation. The operation is planned for a period of 12 months.

The estimated financial reference amount for the common costs of the operation is EUR 8,3 millions.

In view of judicial prosecutions potentially being brought by the competent States, the operation can arrest, detain and transfer persons who have committed, or are suspected of having committed, acts of piracy or armed robbery in the areas where it is present and seize the vessels of the pirates or armed robbers or the vessels caught following an act of piracy or an armed robbery and which are in the hands of the pirates, as well as the goods on board.

The operation can liaise with organisations and entities, as well as States, working in the region to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

As a reminder, greatly preoccupied with regard to the acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast, the Council established in September 2008 a coordination cell in Brussels with the task of supporting the surveillance and protection activities carried out by some Member States off the Somali coast. The activities of the EU NAVCO cell will be closed on the launch date of the EU NAVFOR military operation.

For more information on this cell: www.consilium.europa.eu/eu-navco.

Javier SOLANA made the following comments:

“I would like to congratulate Commodore Antonios Papaioannou on his appointment as the EU Force Commander for operation EU NAVFOR Somalia, the first EU naval operation in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy.

Commodore Papaioannou brings his own considerable expertise and the experience of his national navy to his role as Force commander for this operation in a new area for the EU. In the accomplishment of his tasks, he will have my full support and that of the European Union as a whole.”

BACKGROUND

On 11 November 2008, the Council of the EU adopted a Joint Action on an EU military operation to contribute to the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast (EU NAVFOR Somalia / operation “Atalanta”). This operation will contribute to: (a) the protection of vessels of the World Food Programme delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia, in accordance with the mandate laid down in UN Security Council Resolution 1814 (2008); (b) the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast, and the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast, in accordance with the mandate laid down in UN Security Council Resolution 1816 (2008).

EU NAVFOR Somalia is an EU autonomous operation conducted in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). It is the first naval operation launched by the EU. Rear Admiral Philip JONES (UK) has been appointed EU Operation Commander for the operation. The EU Operational Headquarters is located at Northwood (UK).

CURRICULUM VITAE

Commodore Antonios PAPAIOANNOU
Born in Greece in 1957, Commodore Antonios PAPAIOANNOU graduated from Naval Academy in 1979. He is also a graduate of Hellenic Navy War College (Athens) and NATO Defence College (Rome). He also holds an antisubmarine warfare qualification (USA).

His sea duty assignments include:

Executive Officer of the destroyers ex-KANARIS and ex-THEMISTOCLES,
Commanding Officer of the corvette ex-AGON,
Commanding Officer of the frigate SPETSE (2001-2003),
Commandant of the Second Hellenic Frigates Squadron Command (2006-2008).
During his service, he has been deployed in the Red Sea (operation Dessert Shield) and in the Persian Gulf (operation Enduring Freedom) as commanding officer of frigate SPETSE.

His shore and staff assignments include:

Staff Officer in the Department of National Defence Policy (Navy General Staff);
Western European Union (Brussels)
Chief Director of weapon branch (Fleet Command)
Defence Attaché, Greek Embassy, London, UK.
He was promoted to Commodore in March 2008. Since April 2008, he is Chief Director of the National Operations Center (National Defense General Staff).

FOR FURTHER DETAILS:

Spokesperson of the Secretary General, High Representative for CFSP
Tel: +32 (0)2 281 6467 / 5150 / 5151 / 8239 Fax: +32 (0)2 281 5694
internet: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/solana
e-mail: presse.cabinet@consilium.europa.eu

The Operation has been established in support of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Resolutions 1814, 1816, 1838 and 1846 (2008) and will complete the following specific tasks during period of the operation:

• the protection of vessels of the WFP (World Food Programme) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia,
• the protection of vulnerable vessels cruising off the Somali coast,
• the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

It is the first EU maritime operation, and is being conducted with in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and is part of the EU’s wider economic and political commitment to the region.

Operational Details

• EU Operation Commander – Rear Admiral Phillip Jones, UK Navy
• Deputy Operational Commander – Le Contre Amiral Jean-Pierre Labonne, French Navy
• EU Force Commander at Sea – Commodore Antonios Papaioannou, Hellenic Navy

The operation, which has been established for 12 months with a Headquarters in Northwood, (West London) United Kingdom, will command a force of up to 6 ships and 3 maritime patrol aircraft. In the first 4 month phase of the Operation, force contributions are expected to be made by the United Kingdom, France, Greece, Spain and Germany and approximately 1200 people will be taking part in the Operation at any one time.

It will also have the authority to liaise with other organisations and States, working in the region to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.