In a press statement issued on November 18, the Security Council condemned Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding the release of MV Galaxy Leader and its crew. They called for international cooperation to prevent further regional spillover of the conflict.
Maritime security is one of the six main priorities of Greece’s tenure on the United Nations Security Council and therefore, the press statement became an opportunity for Greece to reaffirm its effort to safeguard the navigational rights and freedoms of merchant and commercial vessels of all States, in accordance with international law.
Moreover, since February 2024, Greece has been contributing to the European Union’s operation ‘EUNAVFOR ASPIDES’, a maritime security operation with headquarters in Greece. ‘ASPIDES’ (Greek for ‘shields’) ensures an EU naval presence in the area, where numerous Houthi attacks have targeted international commercial vessels since October 2023. In close cooperation with like-minded international partners, ASPIDES attempts to ensure freedom of navigation, especially for merchant and commercial vessels. Within its defensive mandate, the operation provides maritime situational awareness, accompanies vessels, and protects them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea.