Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu signed an order this week under which Estonia will end participation in the European Union's anti-piracy operation Atalanta during the month of May.
Estonia to end participation in EU anti-piracy operation Atalanta
5th May 2013, 15:46
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The nature of the operation Atalanta has changed of late, and the kinds of vessel protection detachments acting together with military ships like the Estonian teams are no longer necessary there, spokespeople for the Defense Ministry told BNS on Saturday.
Instead, plans are for increased use of land based autonomous ship protection detachments which require a higher number of naval personnel and a strong and well-developed system of shore support, combined with strong diplomatic presence and intense relations in countries situated on the Gulf of Aden.
Since participation with autonomous ship protection teams would have proved significantly more expensive and complex, Estonia decided to discontinue participating in the operation Atalanta.
Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that as a result of the operation Atalanta the number of incidents, pirate attacks and hijackings in the Gulf of Aden has declined steeply over the past year. "Estonian naval personnel, too, have made their contribution to it that ship traffic in the Gulf of Aden was safer and ships bringing food aid from everywhere in the world would safely reach the people in need," said Reinsalu.
"With their professional actions the Estonian vessel protection detachments have held the Estonian flag high and made their input to this important military operation of the European Union. Besides participation in the Atalanta has intensified Estonia's defense cooperation with our strategic partners Germany and France," said the minister.
Estonia continues to take part in the European Union operation in Mali.
The European Union's naval operation Atalanta is aimed primarily at protecting World Food Program (WFP) and African Union shipments to Somalia, preventing piracy and fighting organized crime.
The Estonian Navy has been taking part in the operation since 2010. Altogether five ten-strong vessel protection detachments from Estonia took part in the operation being based on alternately aboard German and French military vessels, from where they were deployed onto ships that were seen to be in danger.
The Estonian Vessel Protection Detachment 5, VPD-5, led by 1st Lt. Indrek Reinbach, will return to Estonia during May. In addition to the operation Atalanta Estonia is engaged in another cooperation project with Germany in the Mediterranean as part of the operation Active Endeavor on a one-off basis until June 2013.