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9/12/2016

EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA

HRVP Federica Mogherini and Rear Admiral Enrico CredendinoHRVP Federica Mogherini and Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia Commander

EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia is but one element of a broader EU comprehensive response to the migration issue, which seeks to address not only its physical component, but also its root causes as well including conflict, poverty, climate change and persecution.

The mission core mandate is to undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and dispose of vessels and enabling assets used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers, in order to contribute to wider EU efforts to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean and prevent the further loss of life at sea.

Since 7 October 2015, as agreed by the EU Ambassadors within the Security Committee on 28 September, the operation moved to phase 2 International Waters, which entails boarding, search, seizure and diversion, on the high seas, of vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking.

Last 20 June 2016, the Council extended until 27 July 2017 Operation Sophia’s mandate reinforcing it by adding  two supporting tasks:

  • training of the Libyan coastguards and navy;
  • contributing to the implementation of the UN arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya.

EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia Commander is Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Enrico CREDENDINO pdf - 132 KB [132 KB] français (fr)  and his Deputy is Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Réné-Jean CRIGNOLA pdf - 287 KB [287 KB] français (fr) .

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