BNS Godetia (A960) will leave for Africa on February 8, becoming the second European country after the Netherlands to join the Africa Partnership Station with the sending of a vessel.
That Belgium has become the second country to join APS really surprises me. Belgium has no real maritime tradition and only a really small navy (which isn't even called a navy, but the 'marine component') with the largest vessels being its 2 M-class frigates. So they lack larger vessels that, perhaps, are better suited for such a mission - the Godetia is only a small ship at 2,500t and therefore doesn't have a lot of room for either equipment or foreign 'trainees'.
The symbolism that another European country is stepping up is, however, more important.
But I had really expected one of the Mediterranean countries to be next since their direct interests (the large stream of immigtants) in Africa are much bigger, but maybe they'll follow suit.
Some time ago Belgium has also offered to lead EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta at the end of the year. For this they have asked the Netherlands to 'lend' them a ship, since their M-class frigates are not suitable for this.
I haven't heard any answers as of yet. But although the Netherlands has officially only announced ships for the first half of this year (HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Johan de Witt), I have already read in an interview with a Dutch Cdr. they want to send 3 vessels this year.
Belgium will send their own BNS Louise Marie along with any Dutch ship.
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