Rota, 27 August 2019–This week, EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA’s Montenegrin Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD) handed over their duties to the next Lithuanian team. The Montenegrin team spent the last four months on board the World Food Programme (WFP) vessel JUIST, protecting the food aid shipments on their way to Somalia.

Montenegro military forces have been an integral component of Operation Atalanta since 2010, when their military forces first deployed to Headquarters in London. Later, in 2013, Montenegrin forces began to protect World Food Programme vessels as part of Military Armed Security Teams, now known as AVPDs. Today, Montenegro — along with Lithuania, Finland, Serbia, Croatia and the Netherlands — continues to provide soldiers for the AVPDs, demonstrating their commitment to the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy.

Thank you, Montenegro! And welcome back to our Lithuanian team!