HR/VP visits EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia Flagship
“I am honoured and proud to pay this first visit here. We were together in the headquarters in Rome few months ago. And we are here exactly one year after we saw the tragic loss of lives in this very same sea - it was on the 18 April last year”.
With these words, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union and Vice President of the European Commission, accompanied by Pedro Serrano EEAS Deputy Secretary General and General Michail Kostarakos, Chairman of EU Military Committee (EUMC), started her speech during the visit to the Italian Aircraft Carrier Cavour, EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia 
flagship.
Addressing the international media intervened to the press conference organized for the occasion she added “[…] this is one of the stories of the European Union we can be proud of” thanking Rear Admiral Credendino, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Commander “and all our staff here of 24 nationalities – this is an important sign of the European unity we should be proud of again – : saving lives”.
Then, underlining mission results, she said “when we mention saving lives we also come to the reason why we named this operation “Sophia”: this comes out of the name of the baby who was born on one of our vessels, at sea. And this baby is today in good health and able to play rather than finding death at sea. We have saved close to 13 000 lives at sea in this six months of operations. We have arrested suspects, smugglers and traffickers, guaranteeing them to the Italian judicial authorities. We have neutralised more than one hundred vessels at sea.
Let me remind one thing that is important: that out of the 13 000 people we saved, 800 are children”.
Before concluding with some highlights on possible mission developments, she stressed that “Partnership has been the key word and I would like to thank personally Rear Admiral Credendino for the wonderful work he has done in building partnerships around this operation because this operation works with partner countries, partner organizations, NGOs, international agencies working together also sharing their experiences on how to manage – from an humanitarian point of view – something that is difficult to manage, which means people that have gone through a very difficult journey”
For the entire speech: http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2016/160415_03_en.htm