Cosmin Dobran, Director for ‘Peace, Partnership and Crisis Management’ at the European External Action Service (EEAS), explained on Wednesday 24 January that the Member States had given strong support to a more ambitious EU mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea. Its establishment could take place during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 19 February.
Speaking before the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence, Mr Dobran explained that the Diplomatic Service had presented Member States with two options, “the main difference between them being the area of operation: one with a more limited area and the other with a wider area, including the Red Sea and the Gulf”. He explained that, during a discussion between the ambassadors of the Member States within the Political and Security Committee, there “was quite strong support for the most ambitious option to cover a larger area of operation”. The mission could use assets from Operation Agenor in the Gulf. Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have already announced their participation with a ship in the new EU operation.
According to Mr Dobran, the mission should have one executive task of protecting commercial vessels, in accordance with the legal frameworks for self-defence, and two non-executive tasks of accompanying and monitoring the maritime situation. The mission should synchronise the presence of naval vessels with the needs of the transport industry and will share information with relevant operations in the region, including the US-led operation in which three Member States are participating (the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece). He added that the roles of Egypt and India should also be taken into account.
Mr Dobran also explained that the EU was currently conducting diplomatic work with the various countries in the region. He announced that Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General for the Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response at the EEAS, was visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to explain the EU’s intentions.
Unlike the American-led operation, the European mission will not be carrying out strikes in Yemen. The United States and the United Kingdom struck Houthi targets once again on the night of 22 to 23 January.
Rosamaria Gili, Deputy Executive Director for the ‘Middle East and North Africa’ at the EEAS, explained that while the EU already had an arms embargo against the Houthis, sanctions against them as a terrorist organisation were not yet on the agenda. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)