Finland to leave Operation Atalanta

Finland to leave the European Union-led Operation Atalanta by the end of the year.

Operation Atalanta is led by the European Union and was established in 2008 to protect the World Food Programme's food transports to Somalia and to fight and prevent piracy in the area.

Finland has participated in the operation since it was established. All in all some 200 Finns, soldiers and civilians, personnel and reservists, have participated in the operation. The most important Finnish contributions were in 2011, when FNS Pohjanmaa participated in the operation, and in 2012 when Finland designated an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment to the operation. Finns have also served at the Operation Headquarters in London and on-board the operation flag ships.

In the area of operations, situated off the East African coast, a joint naval force from the navies of EU member countries secures the completion of set tasks. Over the years, the operation has been very successful and nowadays piracy in the area is almost non-existent. For example, in 2009 a total of 245 piracy-related acts - captures of a ship, attacks, suspected and observed acts of piracy - were registered. In 2014 the number was down to eight. In 2015 there was only one suspected act. During this year there has been one observed act of piracy and two suspected acts.

On 28 November 2016, the Council extended the mandate of the operation EUNAVFOR Somalia Operation Atalanta until 31 December 2018.The operation is part of the EU's comprehensive approach for a peaceful, stable and democratic Somalia.