EU maritime mission, EUCAP Somalia marks 10th anniversary

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The European Union mission tasked with building a civilian maritime capacity in Somalia, EUCAP is this month marking ten years of operation in Somalia.

European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) said the mission had contributed to strengthening Somali institutional capacities in the maritime and police domains, as well as advancing legal reform and rule of law since its founding in July 2012.

The mission dubbed EUCAP Nestor was established in 2012 and renamed EUCAP Somalia in 2016. The mission has provided maritime training to Somali police including setting up the force’s maritime headquarters in Mogadishu. Additionally, EUCAP has also technical and legal capacity for the Somali Maritime Administration.

“EUCAP Somalia gave the maritime authorities the necessary skills and equipment to conduct a basic coast guard function. Away from the coast, it also helped train some 700 federal Darwish, a robust police force mandated to secure territories freed from Al-Shabaab control,” EU High Representative Josep Borrel.

EUCAP said in a statement it was also the first EU mission to deploy specialized team for the provision of tailored maritime training, including on how to maintain maritime equipment.