The European Union has announced the appointment of Admiral Valentino Rinaldi as the new commander of Operation IRINI, tasked with enforcing the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.
Admiral Rinaldi will assume command from Admiral Stefano Turchetto on July 19. The decision marks Rinaldi's second term leading the operation, having previously taken on the role mid-last year before being succeeded by Greek Admiral Konstantinos Papakalakos.
Operation IRINI, whose current mandate extends until March 31, 2025, is responsible for monitoring and gathering information on illegal exports from Libya, including oil, crude oil, and refined petroleum products.
Additionally, the operation's goal is to disrupt human smuggling and trafficking networks.
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