FOURTH MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN UNION – LIBYA TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP IN ROME
On 25 November 2025, the fourth meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) EU/LBY took place in Rome, involving an EU delegation composed of distinguished representatives of the EEAS, EUDEL Libya and EUNAVFOR MED Operation IRINI, together with high profile representatives of Libyan institutions. The meeting continued the work carried out at previous sessions held in Rome on 30 June, in Tripoli on 23 July and in Brussels on 3 September 2025, confirming the joint commitment to further strengthen EU/Libya cooperation in the field of maritime security.
EU representatives, together with Libyan partners, reviewed the state of cooperation and outlined the next steps to strengthen maritime capacities and regional stability in the central Mediterranean. Exchanges focused on the role of Operation IRINI as an EU operational tool in support of the Libyan maritime authorities. Participants stressed that EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, as a reliable partner alongside Libya, acts in accordance with the EU mandate by implementing its tasks of combating illicit trafficking as well as supporting the capacity-building and training (CB&T) projects in favour of the Libyan Navy and Coast Guard, to contribute to the peace and stabilization of the country.
In this context the new task assigned to the Operation, on the occasion of the renewal of the EU mandate, to contribute to the Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) also constitutes a fundamental pillar of the European security architecture along the southern border of the Mediterranean. In addition to growing attention on the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Black Sea, the Mediterranean plays a central role, where Operation IRINI provides an important contribution to the maritime picture and security on behalf of the EU.
The talks in Rome confirmed the shared intention to continue and deepen the close partnership between the European Union and Libya, seeking effective and mutually beneficial solutions. Through these initiatives Operation IRINI reaffirmed its willingness and readiness to stand as a steadfast partner of Libyan institutions in implementing their priorities, thereby strengthening Maritime Security, International Law and stability in the wider Mediterranean region.
