“Orión” Detachment celebrates the National Day of Spain

·       The Spanish Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and Seychelles has presided over the ceremony.

Celebration of the National Day of Spain is always an emotional and full of significance moment, especially for troops operating far from Spain. That is why the Orión Detachment, which is deployed in Djibouti with the patrol aircraft P.3M from the 11^th Wing, and which is part of the Operation Atalanta against piracy in Somalia, has organised several acts on 11^th and 12^th October, each of them with a different purpose.

The first of them was a military and memorial act hosted at the 188 Air Base, attended by personnel from the Support Element dependent on Operation Atalanta Headquarters in Rota. Afterwards, different presentations related to security, a priority in all the activities taking place, were expounded. And, to conclude, members of the detachment shared a fraternization moment accompanied by some delicious typical Spanish products.

On 12^th October, a reception was chaired by the Spanish Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibuoti and Seychelles, Borja Montesino Martínez del Cerro. This was attended by the Spanish community in the country, as well as by representatives of the different nations with military presence in Djibouti.

The Chief of the Orión Detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Ángel Sáez Nievas, stressed in his speech the meaning that the day 12^th October has for Spaniards, as well as the ties existing between Spanish pilots and this area of the Horn of Africa, after more than 11 years of continued presence here. This presence is reflected on the success obtained by Operation Atalanta regarding piracy eradication, and improvement of security and stability both in Somalia and the Indian Ocean.

Afterwards, the Ambassador has honoured all those that have taken part in different contingents of the Orión Detachment for their effort and dedication. He has also stressed out that they are the only representatives of Spain in this remote country of the Horn of Africa.