Air Detachment 'Orion' delivers stuff for children to Cáritas in Djibouti

• The donation from Spain benefits the most vulnerable population of Djibouti, where the airmen of the 'Orion' Detachment fulfills its misión within the Atalanta operation

The airmen of the 'Orion' Detachment have delivered donated material from Spain to Caritas Djibouti. These donations consist mainly of children's education kits, hygiene products and baby care products, thus promoting access to education and health care for children hosted by Caritas.

Specifically, Caritas Djibouti provides aid to children and adolescents without families, refugees mostly from Ethiopia and Somalia, and offers them shelter, food, education and health care.

Caritas Djibouti supports the work and projects of international agencies and non-governmental organizations and joins the effort of several ministries and local associations.

Regular collaboration

The collaboration between Caritas Djibouti and Orion Detachment, which is deployed in the Horn of Africa within the framework of the European Union's Operation Atalanta is usual.

In this way, the delivery of donations from Spain is managed more efficiently, focusing on the needs expressed by this religious organization, which has been dedicated to tackling poverty, exclusion, intolerance and discrimination for more than three decades.

Operation ‘Atalanta’

The European Union developed the European Union Naval Force ATALANTA (EU NAVFOR) in December 2008 within the framework of the Common European Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and in accordance with the Resolutions of the Security Council (UNSC) and International Law.

Operation 'Atalanta' protects the vessels of the World Food Program (WFP), the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other vulnerable vessels. Likewise, its mission is to deter, prevent and suppress piracy and armed assaults at sea. It supervises the fishing activities off the coast of Somalia. In addition, it supports other EU missions and international organizations working to strengthen maritime security and capability in the region.

On July 30, 2018, the EU Council extended the mandate of operation ‘Atalanta’ until December 31, 2020.