HMCS VILLE DE QUÉBEC, INDIAN OCEAN – On Sunday, August 24, 2008, a World Food Programme ship escorted by Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Ville de Québec arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia with a cargo of more than 5,400 metric tons of corn and soy meal. This single load is enough to feed more than 54,000 people for six months.
"With every successful delivery of food to Somalia, lives are saved. The feeling of pride and satisfaction that comes with the accomplishment of this task is enormous," said Commander Chris Dickinson, commanding officer of HMCS Ville de Québec. "We hope that during our assignment, we can ensure the safe delivery of enough food to keep hundreds of thousands of starving Somalis from going hungry in the next year."
HMCS Ville de Québec was assigned to the escort task on August 6 at the request of the World Food Programme and the International Maritime Organization, both agencies of the United Nations. For about three years, warships from NATO nations have been escorting World Food Programme shipments from Mombasa, Kenya to Mogadishu to ensure their safe passage through waters notorious for piracy. The World Food Programme shipments are intended to meet the urgent needs of more than 2.4 million Somalis who rely on food aid, of which 90 percent arrives by sea.
HMCS Ville de Québec is already heading back to Mombasa to pick up another ship carrying supplies to Mogadishu. For all 260 members of the Canadian frigate's crew, the next several weeks will be a succession of back and forth transits along the east coast of Africa escorting vessels carrying precious, life-saving cargo.
"We cannot let our guard down or let routine settle in. This is a very important mission and it can be dangerous. My sailors are professional and very well trained for the task. They will remain alert and cautious knowing that lives are at stake," said Cdr Dickinson.
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Notes for news and assignment editors:
For more information on the World Food Programme, visit http://www.wfp.org/english/ .
For more information on Operation SEXTANT and Operation ALTAIR, visit www.cefcom.forces.gc.ca.
For still and video imagery of Canadian naval vessels at work, visit www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca
