Brussels stands ready to participate in a future EU maritime security mission in the Red Sea to protect ships from attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists, the Belgian government announced on Friday, January 19.
“Belgium today confirms the participation of the frigate Louise Marie in the European mission in the Red Sea,” Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said after the Council of Ministers gave the green light to the move.
He said the mission’s main task was to “ensure maritime reconnaissance in the region, accompany commercial ships and protect them from possible attacks,” adding, “The sole purpose of this operation is to This is a defense to ensure the safe passage of the country.” The Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.”
EU member states earlier this week expressed their first support for the creation of a naval mission to protect ships from attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea, which threatens key international commercial shipping routes.
The EU proposal, reported by Euractic last week, proposes creating a “new EU operation” that would “operate in a wider operational area from the Red Sea to the Gulf.”
The new mission is expected to be based on Agenor, a French-led joint surveillance operation covering the entire Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and parts of the Arabian Sea, which is the military arm of the umbrella. The mission called European Maritime Awareness (EMASoH) in the Strait of Hormuz, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal currently participate in EMASoH.
Belgium follows commitments from other EU member states, such as Germany, Greece and the Netherlands, to participate in future EU missions.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the issue at a meeting in Brussels on Monday (22 January), after which they will work out the details of the mission’s mission.
The minister also said that “extending the mandate of the EMASOH mission and expanding its area of operation to the Red Sea is also an option.”
The goal is to have the mission established and inaugurated by February 19 at the latest, diplomatic officials said.
The Belgian frigate Louise Marie will split her time in the region, as it was already planned to join the French-led Agenor. Euractic understands that the frigate will continue to join Agenor and that she will take part in EU missions once she becomes operational.
Belgium also currently commands the Agenor task force.
“How Belgium will participate will be further coordinated with our European partners and discussed in more detail in Parliament,” Dedonder said.
