Her Excellency the Ambassador of Ireland to Italy and to San Marino visited EUNAVFOR MED IRINI OHQ
The Ambassador of Ireland to Italy and to San Marino and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies based in Rome, H.E. Patricia O’Brien, visited EUNAVFORMED IRINI Operation Headquarters in Rome today and met the Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Stefano Turchetto.
H.E. O’Brien was very pleased and impressed by the Headquarters commitment in supporting the enforcement of the arms embargo on Libya, the prevention of illicit export of petroleum and the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking.
The visit reaffirmed the importance of the close relationship between Ireland and the Operation, completely supported by her Country, Ireland, which is one important contributor to IRINI. Collectively 24 EU member states are currently supporting the Operation with personnel and assets.
During the event, Ambassador O’Brien shared her views on the activity and the situation in the Central Mediterranean and visited the Joint Operation Centre (JOC), the operational heart of the headquarters, from where the activities are planned, conducted and controlled. At the end of her visit she met the Irish personnel deployed in the IRINI Headquarters and thanked them for their service at the OHQ in Rome.
