Operation SOPHIA Admiral Credendino working meetings in Geneva
Wishing to continue his good cooperation with the International Organisations working on migration, on 21 and 22 November 2016, Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force Mediterranean – Operation Sophia, Real Admiral Enrico Credendino, visited Geneva in order to exchange information on recent activities and discuss potential areas for enhanced coordination and cooperation.
In particular, the Operation Commander informed about the progress made in the context of the training that Op. Sophia started to deliver to the Libyan Navy and Coastguard in the end of October, with support from UNHCR and FRONTEX, aiming to reduce to loss of life in the Mediterranean.
In these two days, Admiral Credendino held meetings with Mr William Lacy Swing Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , Mr Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Ms Kelly Clements, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and also with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Last 20 June 2016, the Council extended until 27 July 2017 operation Sophia’s mandate reinforcing it by adding two supporting tasks, the training of the Libyan Navy Coast Guard and the Libyan Navy, and the contribution to the implementation of the UN arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya, in accordance with the UNSCR 2292 (2016). On 30 August and on 6 September, the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) formally authorized EUNAVFOR MED to commence the two supporting tasks.
Thus far, following EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia’s activities, 101-suspected smugglers and traffickers have been prosecuted by the Italian authorities and 349 boats were removed from the criminal organization availability. Nonetheless, more than 29800 lives were saved at sea.