Dutch MPs visit EU anti piracy ship

A delegation from the House Chamber has visited the naval ship The Seven Provinces on the east coast of a Africa. The delegation which included Chamber President Anouchka van Miltenburg toured the ship last week as it went out on patrol. The Seven Provinces is part of the anti-piracy operation Atalanta.

During a passing patrol along the east coast, the MPs gathered information about military deployment and operations.

“The work of the Dutch military and international colleagues commands respect and is important for the region, but also for the Netherlands itself. We are impressed by the professionalism of our men and women,'' said Miltenburg.

The visit itself was kept silent and shrouded in mystery. "It is customary in this type of visit to keep it quiet because the troops are not there because there was nothing going on," said Miltenburg on NOS Radio 1 News.

The delegation also met with political groups in Dar es Salaam, and Tanzania’s president Semamba Makinda.