Somalia Pirates

Pirate focus

EU foreign ministers said the union would continue to help stabilise
Somalia by supporting "vital" areas including the security sector and
development. "In this context, the [EU] council agreed to set up a military mission to
contribute to training of Somali security forces," the ministers said in a
statement.

Earlier Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier
Solana, said the training camp would be a "very good contribution" to
tackling Somalia's problems. The training plan is expected to last for roughly a year, and will begin in spring 2010.


Somalia has been gripped by fierce fighting since 2007 and the country has
not had a strong central government since 1991. More than 1.5 million people have been uprooted by the fighting which has claimed nearly 20,000 lives.

Western countries have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to help the
country develop its security forces and help restore order. The rise of Somali pirates in recent years has helped focus international attention on the strife-torn country.

Pirates are currently holding hostage at least 13 ships and more than 230
crew.