On 1 August 2011, Major General Buster Howes OBE handed over the responsibility of Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Op ATALANTA to Rear Admiral Duncan Potts.
Major General Howes, who joined the operation in June 2010, has been instrumental in shaping the development of EU NAVFOR and the execution of the Op ATALANTA mission. Major General Howes leaves EU NAVFOR to continue his appointment as Commandant General Royal Marines.
Rear Admiral Potts has extensive operational experience across the Joint Environment within both the United Kingdom and multi-national defence organizations, particularly in the Middle East Region. He has enjoyed Sea Command at the rank of Commander and Captain as well as Operational Command as a Commodore, where he was the Coalition Commander in the Northern Gulf, he assumed his current appointment as Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces on promotion to Rear Admiral in January 2011.
On taking up his new appointment, Adm Potts commented, “I am very much looking forward to the challenges of this demanding post and seek to continue to develop on the excellent work of my predecessors. Given the current humanitarian situation within Somalia, my first priority on assuming Command is ensuring the safe passage of World Food Programme Shipping to allow it to freely enter Somalia. I am therefore keen to ensure that the EUNAVFOR is as efficient and effective as possible in the delivery of its primary mission, plus its wider Counter Piracy challenge.”
Major General Howes, who joined the operation in June 2010, has been instrumental in shaping the development of EU NAVFOR and the execution of the Op ATALANTA mission. Major General Howes leaves EU NAVFOR to continue his appointment as Commandant General Royal Marines.
Rear Admiral Potts has extensive operational experience across the Joint Environment within both the United Kingdom and multi-national defence organizations, particularly in the Middle East Region. He has enjoyed Sea Command at the rank of Commander and Captain as well as Operational Command as a Commodore, where he was the Coalition Commander in the Northern Gulf, he assumed his current appointment as Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces on promotion to Rear Admiral in January 2011.
On taking up his new appointment, Adm Potts commented, “I am very much looking forward to the challenges of this demanding post and seek to continue to develop on the excellent work of my predecessors. Given the current humanitarian situation within Somalia, my first priority on assuming Command is ensuring the safe passage of World Food Programme Shipping to allow it to freely enter Somalia. I am therefore keen to ensure that the EUNAVFOR is as efficient and effective as possible in the delivery of its primary mission, plus its wider Counter Piracy challenge.”