Irini chief: Libya is a key partner in securing the Mediterranean

European Union naval operation “Irini” has praised what it described as “excellent” cooperation with Libya’s maritime search-and-rescue authorities, as the mission resumes training programmes for Libyan naval personnel after years of suspension.

Admiral Marco Casapieri, who assumed command of Operation Irini on 12 September, said the mission had restarted structured engagement with Libya through a series of gradual, small-scale projects. He confirmed that 30 Libyan naval personnel had completed a foundational training course at a European facility in Taranto, southern Italy – a step he described as “an important achievement that restores one of the mission’s core functions”.

Casapieri’s remarks came during the “Shade Med 2025” conference, which brings together EU and NATO officials to discuss hybrid threats in the Mediterranean. He noted that the mission’s renewed mandate, extended until 2027, now includes broader surveillance of maritime activity from Tripoli to the Aegean Sea, alongside its longstanding role in enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya.

The admiral warned that threats in the Mediterranean are no longer limited to the surface, highlighting the vulnerability of underwater infrastructure such as energy pipelines and internet cables essential to Europe’s economies. Monitoring any illicit activity targeting these strategic assets, he said, has become “critical”.

Despite working with limited assets – including Italian and Greek naval units supported by multiple surveillance aircraft – Irini has relied heavily on intelligence gathering. Since March 2020, the mission has conducted more than 20,000 radio queries with vessels, 764 cooperative approaches, and 33 at-sea inspections, in addition to tracking 2,141 suspicious flights and monitoring 25 airports and 16 ports across the region.

On the UN arms embargo, Casapieri clarified that the mission’s mandate covers maritime routes only, meaning flights to Libya fall outside its legal scope. He added that Irini continues to address fuel smuggling, which inflicts heavy economic losses on Libya, and noted that expanding the mission’s authorities would require an updated international legal framework.

Operation Irini is now awaiting a UN Security Council decision at the end of November regarding the renewal of its high-seas inspection mandate. Casapieri expressed hope for sustained international support and additional capacities that would enable the mission to play a stronger role in safeguarding Mediterranean security and supporting stability efforts in Libya.