• Home /
• News /
• 2016 /
• February /
• EUNAVFOR LIBYA: Wikileaks release six month report

EUNAVFOR LIBYA: Wikileaks release six month report

19 February 2016

See the full text: EUNAVFOR MED Op SOPHIA - Six Monthly Report (Doc no: 5653-16, pdf)

The document states: "Critical to our exit strategy is a capable and well-resourced Libyan Coastguard who can protect their own borders and therefore prevent irregular migration taking place from their shores."

EUNAVFOR MED is due to end on 27 July 2016 (one year after "Full Operational Capability" was reached), unless it is extended by a Council Decision. There is no state in Libya: the prospect of a "capable and well-resourced Libyan Coastguard" being put together before 27 July is thus pretty much non-existent. A Council Decision over the next few months to further extend the mission therefore seems highly likely.

The document notes that the EU could help train a Libyan navy and coastguard, which would "give the Libyan authorities something in exchange for their cooperation in tackling the irregular migration issue." EUBAM Libya was of course supposed to train the country's border control authorities, but is not located in Tunisia due to its inability to operate in Libya. EUBAM Libya was recently extended and had its mandate extended (link)

Nor does Wikileaks highlight the fact that intelligence-gathering in Libya is to be stepped-up in light of the planned transition to phases 2b and 3 of the military mission:

"The key to future phases will be the ability to fully understand S&T [smuggling and trafficking] networks ashore, including patterns of life, financing and where they might interact with other illegal and terrorist organisations. As well as a general need for ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] assets, including UAVs [drones], HUMINT [human intelligence] will also be essential in achieving a better picture of the pattern of life. In this respect an increased intelligence support is required from the Member States."