As EUCAP Nestor Head of Mission discuss and concur on way forward with Somalia Deputy PM – PRESS RELEASE September 26th 2016
Somalilandsun-On September 25th, EUCAP Nestor Head of Mission (HoM), Maria-Cristina Stepanescu, met the Somalia Deputy Prime Minister, Mohamed Omer Arteh, at Villa Somalia – the Presidential and Governmental Palace – in Mogadishu.
She also separately met senior representatives of the Somali Ministry of Internal Security.
The meetings were aimed at introducing EUCAP Nestor’s HoM, recently deployed to Somalia, to national authorities and counterparts with a maritime security mandate as well as exchanging information on the current state of play and possible ways forward.
Somali high-level officials and the mission’s Head of Operation also joined the discussions.
Ms Stepanescu shared with the Somali Deputy PM the mission’s upcoming mandate, with its sole focus on Somalia. The Deputy PM was also informed about the expansion of the mission’s presence in Somalia, which he praised.
HE Mohamed Omer Arteh expressed the government’s appreciation of all the work that EUCAP Nestor has undertaken to date. He also emphasized that the holistic development of coastal communities and locally based coastal police presence is fundamental in preventing maritime crime.
During the discussions between EUCAP Nestor HoM and representatives of the Ministry for Internal Security (MoIS), the importance of maritime security for Somalia and the need for infrastructural development was also underlined by the Somali State officials.
In relation to the forecasted mission’s deployment to Puntland, Abdiaziz Mohammed Shire, Director of Counterterrorism & Maritime Security Department, Ministry of Internal Security, congratulated EUCAP Nestor on involving Somali authorities early in the planning stages. He stressed the importance of constant cooperation and a need for the international community to increase technical support in mentoring and advising activities.
“Your Success is Our Success,” said EUCAP Nestor’s HoM assuring her counterparts on her commitment to enhance the mission’s engagement in Somalia during her service here.
Background
EUCAP Nestor is a civilian EU mission, under the auspices of the Common Security and Defence Policy, which assists Somalia in strengthening its capacity to ensure maritime security and in particular to fight piracy.
EUCAP Nestor – Somalia Office
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