Riyadh, 23 November 2019--This past week, Operation ATALANTA Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Battista Piegaja travelled to Jordan for the second Red Sea Arena Security Dialogue, and then to Saudi Arabia for the first ever Saudi International Maritime Forum – 2019 (SIM Forum – 2019).
The Red Sea Arena Security Dialogue
The Red Sea Arena Security Dialogue is a meeting that allows senior naval officers from various countries and international organisations to discuss shared maritime security concerns and relevant knowledge. EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA also attended the first Red Sea Arena Security Dialogue when it was held in Washington, U.S. in May.
Saudi International Maritime Forum
The Saudi International Maritime Forum in Riyadh was the first multinational naval event organized by Saudi Royal Naval Forces. The Forum included series of lectures and panel discussions by speakers from various Think Tanks and international navies encompassing regional maritime security concepts, threats & opportunities in a global context, increasing capacity for countering emerging threats and tackling future challenges in the maritime industry. The three-day, multinational naval event was attended by naval leaders from 13 countries and also included an exhibition of the latest technologies, equipment, and systems in the marine environment.
R. Adm. Piegaja represented EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA at the conference as Theme Leader of Maritime Security, and Operation ATALANTA personnel presented to attendees about Patrol Ships and Securing Strategic Sea Routes.
