For the next four months Lithuanian troops will be protecting a WFP chartered vessel transporting food shipments from Kenya to Somalia from acts of piracy.
"Lithuanian military contribution to the EU led operation witnesses our state's commitment to contribute to the effort to build a safer and more stable world together with our partners and our soldiers will help thousands of Somalians to receive the world community's supply," – the Lithuanian Acting Chief of Defence Major General Almantas Leika said at the ceremony.
While in Djibouti, Maj. Gen. A. Leika also met with EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA Force Commander Commodore Peter Lenselink Royal Netherlands Navy who is commanding the EU Naval Force from the Dutch Warship HNLMS Johan de Witt.
The Acting Lithuanian Chief of Defence also met with a Lithuanian navy officer who has been posted to the Dutch operational command warship from mid-July earlier this year and another two Djibouti-based Lithuanian servicemen who are in charge of logistic support.
"You move on path, which is new to Lithuania and you are the first Lithuanian soldiers in this region who will be in charge of this very important task. Your work will contribute not only to the success of the Operation ATALANTA but also to the wellbeing of the Somalian people, "- Major General A. Leika said at the meeting with the Lithuanian servicemen.
In total, Lithuania's military contribution to the EU-led counter-piracy operation numbers up to 20. Apart from the Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD), operational command vessel based officer and two Logistic personnel, Lithuania has also commissioned a staff officer of the Lithuanian Navy to the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters in Northwood (UK).
The largest European Union-led military operation EU NAVFOR - Operation ATALANTA was launched late in 2008 in response to the rising levels of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia. Warships deployed on EU NAVFOR escort WFP ships delivering aid to the Somali people, deter and apprehend pirates and armed robbers in the area of operation, complete monitoring of fishing activity, and conduct other tasks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Currently, 23 EU and 3 non-EU member states are contributing the up to 2 thousand personnel of EU NAVFOR - Operation ATALANTA.
EU NAVFOR - Operation ATALANTA is not the only EU-led operation that Lithuania is contributing to. From this spring Lithuanian military instructors have been deployed to the EU training mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) to provide training for Malian military. The EUTM Mali objective is to enhance operational capabilities and activities of the Malian Armed Forces in order to incapacitate it to ensure territorial integrity of the country and to counter attacks of terrorist groups inside the country.
Lithuania's participation in the EU-led multinational operations contributes to international crisis management efforts and strengthens the Commons Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
