EUNAVFOR MED: operation SOPHIA training ships San Giorgio and Rotterdam welcomes on board the Libyan trainees
On the 26 October 2016, seventy-eight Libyan trainees, selected by the Libyan authorities, embarked onboard the operation SOPHIA training ships San Giorgio and Rotterdam for the commencement of the training package one.
The two ships departed from the port of Catania (Italy) last October 24th to start the training activity.
The training activity was technically and formally agreed with the Libyan Navy Coast Guard and Libyan Navy last 23rd of August, when operation SOPHIA Commander, Rear Admiral (UH) Enrico Credendino, and the Commander of the Libyan Navy Coast Guard and Port Security, Commodore Abdalh TOUMIA, signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the training.
The training activity will include different sessions regarding Coast Guard duties. Furthermore, there will be as well lessons of human rights and international law.
The two training vessels will also embark training teams from different Member States, plus a representation of FRONTEX and UNHCR.
The aim of the training is to improve security of the Libyan territorial waters and the Libyan Navy Coastguard and Libyan Navy ability to perform the duties in their territorial waters, including search and rescue activities to save lives in Libyan territorial waters. As a consequence, the training packages will enhance Libyan Navy Coast Guard and Libyan Navy capability to disrupt smuggling and trafficking from/to Libyan shores.
Thus far, following EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia’s activities, 99 suspected smugglers and traffickers have been prosecuted by the Italian authorities and 337 boats were removed from the criminal organization availability. Nonetheless, more than 29000 lives were saved at sea.