EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visited the EU’s naval mission Operation ASPIDES in Djibouti on 16 July and met sailors aboard the Italian frigate "Bergamini."
Kallas was welcomed by Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the operation’s commander, and received an update on the mission alongside an EU delegation, the European External Action Service (EEAS) informed in a statement.
She described Djibouti as a valued partner for the European Union, saying Operation ASPIDES “is protecting lives, trade and stability” and adding: “But ships cannot secure sea lanes without reliable partners on shore.”
Kallas also said the operation had protected more than 670 merchant vessels and saved 128 seafarers over the past 29 months.
What is Operation ASPIDES?
Operation ASPIDES is an EU naval operation working to protect commercial shipping, with what the EU described as a “totally defensive mandate”.
The mission contributes to safety at sea and regional stability, the EEAS added.
