VALLETTA, April 26 -- The security of Libyan waters is an essential part of the work of the European Union (EU), said Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Wednesday.
She was speaking on board the Italian Amphibious ship San Giusto in Malta, which is taking part in the operation SOPHIA tackling piracy and Human Trafficking.
Mogherini said that this operation is fulfilling its core mandate of disrupting the traffic of smugglers at sea and they have already trained 93 Libyan coastguards. Libyan coastguards will be provided with ships that allow them to operate in the waters to monitor what happens in the waters and save lives if necessary.
She added that the security of Libyan waters translates into more possibilities for fishermen of Libya, providing sustainable economic revenue that can help disrupt the business of human trafficking.