(CNN) -- The European Union will launch its first naval operation Tuesday, protecting vessels from pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, EU policy chief Javier Solana announced Monday. A French army helicopter taking off from French frigate Nivose, on patrol in the Gulf of Aden.

A French army helicopter taking off from French frigate Nivose, on patrol in the Gulf of Aden.

EU foreign ministers approved the mission during their regular meeting in Brussels on Monday. Solana said the operation is "very important" because EU vessels will be operating "in a place in the world that everybody's looking at because of the new problems related to piracy."

"It's very important that we have taken that decision to launch it tomorrow," he added.

The EU naval force will take over the role of escorting United Nations World Food Program vessels carrying food and relief supplies to war-torn Somalia, an EU news release said.

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