The 'Serviola' ends its visit to Dakar

• The offshore patrol vessel carried out several Defence diplomacy and cooperative security activities

From May 30 to June 4, the offshore patrol vessel "Serviola" made a stopover in Dakar (Senegal), as part of its deployment in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa under the operational control of the Operations  Command.

The stopover had a dual objective: on the one hand, to carry out cooperative security activities with the Senegalese Armed Forces, and on the other, to support Defence Diplomacy.

In this regard, the patrol boat carried out training exercises in collaboration with the Senegalese Navy and received a visit from the Spanish ambassador to Senegal.

The cooperative security activities carried out in the port of Dakar along with the Senegalese Navy were focused on the security and protection of port facilities and ships in port. These activities contribute to mutual knowledge and trust, to increase training and to strengthen ties and exchange experiences.

Support for Defence Diplomacy materialized with the presence on board of the Spanish ambassador to Senegal and the visit of several Defence attachés (USA, Austria, Canada, United Kingdom, Mali, and Mauritania), who received a brief explanation of the ship's features and capabilities and the deployment being carried out in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.

The West African coast and the Gulf of Guinea constitute a strategic element of first level both for Spain and for the rest of the European Union, as it enables the arrival of raw materials and fuel through its maritime routes. The increase in piracy and acts of armed robbery at sea poses a significant risk to national fishing and maritime community that operates legitimately in this region, constituting a destabilizing element for maritime security in the area, which is necessary to guarantee the transportation of all these resources to Spain.