An EU mission using Danish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish warships is to patrol West African waters in coming years to stymie piracy.
France, Italy, and Spain would lead the way, sending ships for eight months each in 2022, the EU external action service proposed in a recent memo to member states’ ambassadors.
The Gulf of Guinea in West Africa “continues to be particularly dangerous for seafarers”, the memo, dated 12 January and seen by EUobserver, noted.
“The region now accounts for just over 95 percent of all kidnappings for ransom at sea,” it said.
“The risk of PAG [pirate action group] actions remains high … from Togo to Gabon, with Nigeria as the centre of gravity,” the EU added.
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https://euobserver.com/world/154120