Vice Admiral Ashraf Ibrahim Atwa, Commander of the Egyptian Navy, met with Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, Operation Commander of the European Union’s Naval Mission in the Red Sea (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES), and the accompanying delegation.

The meeting discussed several topics of common interest regarding supporting maritime security and stability efforts in the Middle East region, in addition to enhancing cooperation between the two sides.

The delegation conducted an inspection tour of several naval units to know the latest training and armament systems in the Navy in recent times, the Egyptian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

This comes within the framework of the Egyptian Armed Forces keenness to enhance military cooperation relations with various brotherly and friendly countries.

The European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) OPERATION ASPIDES is an EU defensive maritime security operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

Since late 2023, as a result of Houthi attacks on maritime shipping, maritime security in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf has significantly degraded. The deterioration of the maritime security in the Red Sea has disrupted a key geopolitical area for international shipping. This affects negatively the EU as well as the wider international community.

Operation ASPIDES will contribute to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation, for the sake of the EU, the region, and the wider international community, according to EUNAVFOR’s Website.

The EUNAVFOR OPERATION ASPIDES mandate is to:

• Protect vessels against ongoing attacks
• Accompany vessels
• Reinforce maritime situational awareness - such as monitoring, assessing possible threats and sharing information - in coordination with partners.

EUNAVFOR OPERATION ASPIDES, within its purely defensive mandate, will protect shipping targeted by attacks at sea or air. It will not conduct strikes on land.

ASPIDES will act in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2722, which demands the cessation of Houthis’ attacks on merchant and commercial vessels, and recognises the right to defend vessels against such attacks, in line with international law.

Building upon the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, ASPIDES consolidates the EU’s capacity to respond rapidly to a global crisis, in cooperation with like-minded international partners, while reinforcing the strategic autonomy of the EU. (Egyptian Ministry of Defense; EUNAVFOR; Photo © Egyptian Ministry of Defense)