The European Union (EU), working with the Kenya Coast Guard Service, is hosting a high-level conference in Mombasa focused on strengthening maritime cooperation and expanding the operational use of IORIS, a maritime coordination platform designed to support responses to evolving safety and security challenges.
Supported by the EUCRIMARIO project, the three-day event has brought together government officials and maritime experts from 80 organisations across East Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, and the eastern and western coasts of Latin America.
The conference comes at a time when maritime security challenges are becoming more complex and tensions continue to rise in key regions. Participants share the view that no country can address these challenges alone and that cooperation remains essential to protecting shipping routes and maritime economic activities.
Throughout the conference, participants are examining ways to strengthen the use of IORIS in tackling issues such as shipping security, counter-narcotics operations, port safety, search and rescue efforts, and the monitoring of sanctioned or falsely flagged vessels. Discussions are also focusing on its role in supporting live operations, improving regional coordination, ensuring long-term sustainability, and exploring future opportunities, including the use of artificial intelligence.
Opening the conference, Ondrej Simek, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Kenya, highlighted Kenya’s strategic position along key maritime routes linking Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and other regions. He noted that growing tensions around major maritime chokepoints have exposed the vulnerability of global shipping lanes and said the conference provides an opportunity for partners from Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and South America to strengthen cooperation before crises emerge. He added that the EU continues to support maritime cooperation, capacity building, and coordinated action across regions connected by the sea.
Martin Cauchi Inglott, Director of EUCRIMARIO, said IORIS was developed to improve connectivity and interoperability among maritime stakeholders. He described the platform as a tool that helps navies, authorities, and agencies build a shared understanding of the maritime domain. By enabling secure information sharing and coordination, IORIS supports real-time cooperation across borders. He added that the conference aims to strengthen the platform’s governance so it can continue meeting the needs of users and contribute to safer and more resilient seas.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Hon. Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, described the conference as a gathering of maritime stakeholders committed to promoting safer and more secure seas. He said the event is particularly timely as global transport faces increasing challenges linked to the crisis in the Middle East. He noted that IORIS encourages cooperation among coastal states and supports efforts to secure shared maritime spaces. He reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to working closely with partners to strengthen maritime safety and security.
The conference will also welcome new organisations from eight countries that are set to sign the IORIS Partnership Agreement, demonstrating their commitment to operational cooperation and collective efforts to address maritime security challenges across different regions.
source: maritimeafrica
African Maritime Council