European Union’s Operation IRINI commander, Fabio Agostini, said Europe is ready to train the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy personnel despite political hindrances from counties outside the European Union.

Agostini told Italian news agency, NOVA, that thanks to training received by Libyan coastguards from 2016 to 2019 as part of Operation Sophia, the Libyan Navy became more capable and performed better search and rescue operations and treated immigrants much better.

He also said Operation IRINI was tasked to integrate specific training units to respect human rights, gender, and vulnerable people in all training programs made by Operation Sophia with the European Union’s support.

Agostini said Operation Sophia trained, until its mandate end in March 2020, over 477 Libyan coastguards over three years of work.