The European Union (EU) will soon become an observer to the Djibouti Code of Conduct, a framework for regional cooperation to combat piracy and other illegal maritime activities in the northwest Indian Ocean.
The European Council “formally decided this Monday to accept the invitation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment Secretariat” and to make the European Union a “friend.” [observadora] framework for cooperation, Brussels said in a statement.
“By becoming a “friend” of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment, the EU expresses its strong support for an effective regional maritime security architecture, while strengthening its presence and commitment as a guarantor of global maritime security in the fight against illicit activities. at sea,” he added.
The main objective of this regional cooperation framework is to combat piracy, armed robbery, human trafficking and other illicit maritime activities in the northwest Indian Ocean, including the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
The northwest Indian Ocean is one of the world’s most dynamic centers of economic growth, with 80% of global trade passing through its waters, so it is “critical to guarantee freedom of navigation and protect the security and interests of the EU and its partners.” “, – this is supported in the text.
The Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment was signed in 2017 by 17 countries in the northwest Indian Ocean to promote regional cooperation and strengthen the capacity of signatory states to combat growing threats to maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
The European Union is a long-standing partner in the field of maritime security in the region.
Since 2008, Operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta has been operating in the region to combat piracy, and more recently, Operation EUNAVFOR Aspides was launched, with which the EU intends to protect merchant ships crossing the Red Sea.
At the same time, the EU has carried out missions to strengthen the capacity of local navies, such as EUCAP Somalia, EUTM Somalia and EUTM Mozambique, as well as maritime security projects such as CRIMARIO II and EC Safe Seas Africa.