Bosaso — In a significant development aimed at enhancing regional maritime security, warships belonging to the European Union (EU) recently docked at the shores of Puntland, a region in northeastern Somalia.

The visit was marked by a high-level meeting between the Deputy Director General of the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), Mr. Mohamud Silal Omar, and senior officers from the EU Naval Force (EU-NAVFOR) Operation Atalanta, particularly the ESPS NUMANCIA.

The meeting, which also included the Commander in Chief of the PMPF forces, Admiral Manuel ALVARGONZÁLEZ MÉNDEZ, focused on a range of critical issues including maritime piracy, illegal fishing, illicit weapons trade, narcotics trafficking, and maritime terrorism.

Both parties emphasized the importance of intensifying joint operations against these threats to ensure the stability and security of the region's maritime environment.

During the discussions, the sharing of intelligence and the successes achieved in joint operations against maritime piracy were highlighted.

The close monitoring of pirate activities and the prevention of their organized attempts at sea were noted as significant achievements, underscoring the effectiveness of the collaboration between the PMPF and EU-NAVFOR.

The outcome of the meeting was a unanimous commitment to further strengthen cooperation and to develop more robust and proactive measures to counter maritime security threats.

Both the PMPF and EU-NAVFOR agreed on the necessity of early intervention to thwart any potential actions by pirates and terrorists at sea.

This visit by the EU warships to Puntland signifies a deepening of international efforts to combat maritime insecurity in the Horn of Africa.

It is expected that the enhanced cooperation will lead to more effective surveillance, deterrence, and response capabilities in the region's maritime domain, thereby contributing to broader regional and global security goals.