Member States' ambassadors, meeting in the Political and Security Committee, agreed on Tuesday 28 January to strengthen air and satellite assets to monitor compliance with the arms embargo on Libya, according to several European sources.
The Ambassadors therefore asked the EUNAVFOR Med Sophia Operation Commander, Admiral Enrico Credendino, who briefed them on the mission's activities over the past six months, to step up aerial surveillance activities to complement satellite activities in order to meet immediate needs. Currently, seven aircraft - two from Luxembourg, two from Italy, one from France, one from Spain and one from Poland - are taking part in Operation Sophia, which has a mandate to monitor the embargo.
The objective is, according to one source, "to continue to put pressure on the players", and to document possible violations of the embargo.
In addition to this immediate response, the ambassadors instructed the European External Action Service to present a revision of the mandate of EUNAVFOR Med Sophia to them, in view of the Foreign Affairs Council of 17 February. The EEAS proposal is expected next week.
The ambassadors also discussed the monitoring of the ceasefire in Libya. Work on this subject will continue, but depends on the outcome of the UN Security Council, which is working on a resolution, and developments on the ground. The 5+5 military committee (5 representatives of the Libyan Government of National Unity and 5 representatives of General Haftar) is expected to meet in the coming days in Geneva to discuss the ceasefire. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)