While nobody's paying attention to Somalia...

...good work is being done in relative obscurity off the east coast of Africa.

The crew of HMCS Ville de Quebec has done its job, safely escorting World Food Programme shipments to Somalia in response to the requests of the international community:

Beginning in August 2008, HMCS Ville de Québec provided a naval escort to 10 ships under contract to the WFP to protect them from piracy and armed robbery. Around 36,200 tonnes of food — enough to feed about 400, 000 people for six months — were successfully delivered to Somalia by ships escorted by HMCS Ville de Québec.

More than 3.2 million Somalis need food assistance, of which 90 percent arrives by sea. Although pirates have launched more than 70 attacks on vessels in Somali waters so far this year, no ship carrying WFP food assistance has been attacked while under Canadian escort.

The sailors and their captain are understandably proud:

Rarely in life do we get a chance to do something right and special that makes a difference in a world full of hate and strife. On the morning of 24 August 2008, the crew of HMCS Ville de Québec got that chance with their arrival in the war-torn port of Mogadishu, Somalia with the World Food Programme supply ship Abdul Rahman. Abdul Rahman was carrying 5,407 metric tons of food to a country that has suffered terribly from civil conflict and famine.

...

Some will argue that protecting the world’s sea lanes from pirates is not a job for expensive navies, and perhaps another solution to this problem will be found some day — maybe shipping companies will be able to employ security firms to keep their vessels safe. Meanwhile, however, with 85 percent of international commerce moving by sea, the threat posed by what is clearly a booming and successful piracy business must be addressed seriously in the context of global security.

...

In my time in the Navy I have been on many good missions. I patrolled off Yugoslavia during the civil war, I fought terrorism in the Persian Gulf after 9/11, and I have sailed with NATO on many occasions conducting maritime security operations. None of these missions gave me the sense of accomplishment I felt as I watched Abdul Rahman disappear around the end of the jetty in Mogadishu, knowing that the food in her holds would soon be unloaded. My final exchange with the Master perhaps was indicative of the good work done: “Captain, God go with you on your journey.” “Thank you, Abdul Rahman, God be with you as well during your time in Mogadishu.”

While the Canadian navy's part in this is done for now, I find it interesting to note that it seems as though at least one rising power understands their responsibilities in the area (remove headdress: Ghost of a Flea):

Indian warships with guided missiles, which were dispatched from Mumbai, have begun patrolling in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, according to sources in the Indian Navy in Mumbai.

The warships, said to be six in numbers, have been sent to the Gulf of Aden to protect Indian merchant vessels from pirates passing through the Gulf of Aden, even though the fate of the 18 Indians sailors on board the Japanese-registered ship "Stolt Valor" in Somali waters still hangs in balance.

The Indian warships have on board helicopters and elite marine commandos, trained for covert operations.

I wonder where the multilateralist nations trying to ensure security in that area of the oceans go from here. Our response to this challenge to international law and order will be instructive.