The second round of training conducted by the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR Med) has been launched for the Libyan Navy and Coast Guard.
EUNAVFOR Med is a military operation launched by the EU in an effort to disrupt human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean and prevent the further loss of life at sea, as well as respond to ongoing migration issues.
The initiative is also known as Operation Sophia and was first agreed upon in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 23 August last year.
Package II will be undertaken by 20 Libyan trainees, and will be conducted throughout the year in a maritime training centre on the Greek island of Crete among other areas across the Mediterranean region.
Subjects to be covered under the programme are Human Rights and raising gender awareness, maritime legal aspects, as well as search and rescue operations. These topics follow the application of basic seamanship covered in Package I.
All 20 participants in the second phase of training are senior officers at the rank of captain or commodore.
The first 78 Libyan personnel embarked on board the European Union (EU) training vessels on 26 October last year, after receiving the Council Decision for them to be instructed in coastguard functions.
