In response to a request by the UN Secretary-General for NATO assistance, warships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2) escorted World Food Programme (WFP) ships carrying relief supplies to Somalia in order to protect them against pirate attacks. The NATO-led Operation Allied Provider was conducted from October to December 2008 and involved counter-piracy activities off the coast of Somalia. The NATO warships provided close protection to the WFP chartered ships and also conducted deterrence patrols in the area most susceptible to pirate attacks against merchant shipping. The NATO ships also escorted a ship carrying vital military supplies for a Burundi battalion in AMISOM. Operation ALLIED PROVIDER was followed by the EU’s Operation ATALANTA.
The NATO-led Operation Allied Provider was conducted from October to December 2008 and involved counter-piracy activities off the coast of Somalia.