Rear Admiral Duncan Potts, Operational Commander EU NAVFOR, participated at the “Anti Piracy and Maritime Security Conference” between 6-9 September in the Seychelles.
Hosted by a number of the Republic of Seychelles Ministries and the South Asia and Africa Regional Port Stability Cooperative (SAARPSCO), the conference was a valuable opportunity for discussions and developing professional relations with regional government representatives as well as international maritime industry and business leaders.
At one of the panel sessions entitled “The Operational Response to Piracy”, Rear Admiral Potts was joined by representatives from NATO and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and gave a presentation on the current EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta.
During the conference, Rear Admiral Potts met with James Michel, President of the Republic of Seychelles, Minister Jean-Paul Adam (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Mr Philippe Michaud.
This meeting was followed up by talks with Brigadier Leopold Payet, Chief of the Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF) HQ and other Ministers before a visit to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) Headquarters in Port Victoria. The visit was hosted by Lt Col Georges Adeline who briefed on the work of the SCG and showed Rear Admiral Potts a number of captured skiffs and mother ships which have been used as evidence in piracy trials. In addition, Rear Admiral Potts visited the Luxembourg Marine Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft detachment at their base on Eden Island to be briefed on their ocean surveillance capabilities.
The Seychelles are a major partner to EU NAVFOR Atalanta and are wholly committed to combating piracy. The SAARPSCO is a regional maritime community comprising some 30 countries within the rim of the Indian Ocean. The organisation was founded by the United States Coast Guard and is striving to advance and shape a coordinated international maritime engagement and to achieve maritime safety and security throughout the region.
EU NAVFOR Somalia is a counter-piracy taskforce operating in the area of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean responsible for deterring, preventing and repressing acts of piracy, for the safe escort of ships carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and to protect other vulnerable vessels. Additionally, EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia