High Representative and Vice-President Federica Mogherini visits the Eunavfor Med Headquarters in Rome
Today, 24 September 2015, the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini, paid her first visit to the Headquarters of the mission launched last 22 June to tackle the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Mediterranean
Welcomed by the Chief of Italian Defense, general Claudio Graziano and the Chief of the Italian Joint Operation HQ, general Marco Bertolini, after having been briefed by the Operation Commander, Admiral Enrico Credendino, on the current situation of the operations, the High Representative expressed all the Headquarters’ members her appreciation for the excellent job done during the first 4 months of the mission.
During the press conference that concluded the visit, the HR Mogherini gave further information about the mission and proposed a new name for the operation: “SOPHIA”. The name comes from the baby that was given birth onboard the German ship “Schleswig-Holstein” after a rescue of migrants carried out last 22 August in the Central Mediterranean.
The “Schleswig-Holstein” is one of the vessels operating within Eunavfor Med together with other ships and air assets that have recently accomplished all the tasks of the first phase of the mission and, therefore, will permit the transition to the next phase.