NATO announced that its counter-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean has been terminated due to the significant decrease in piracy attacks and the need to shift its focus on the Black Sea to deter Russians and also on Mediterranean for surveillance of people smugglers.
After more than a decade of NATO-led operations in the Horn of Africa, ships and patrol aircraft have now left the area however, in case there is need, NATO could resume its anti-piracy efforts at any time, the commander of the Danish air force detachment that carried out the last mission was quoted as saying.
During its peak, piracy off the Horn of Africa had an economic impact of $7 billion, with more than 1,000 hostages taken and 33 ships held in captivity. NATO “Ocean Shield” operation, as well as European Union and other counter-piracy missions, have significantly reduced attacks, with no ships captured off Somalia since May 2012. Activity has decreased from multiple incidences each month to zero within the last two years.
Earlier this month, NATO moved resources in the Mediterranean to help Europe tackle migrants trafficking from North Africa. New plans for the alliance will involve also operations with the aim to deter Russia in the east, following Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.
