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The European Union and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) have signed an agreement that will see the implementation of the Safe Seas Africa (SSA) programme to enforce maritime security in Africa. The signing ceremony took place in Mauritius and representatives from other IOC countries joined virtually.The agreement was signed by the EU Ambassador to Mauritius and Seychelles, Oskar Benedikt, and the Secretary General of the IOC, Velayoundom Marimoutou.
The SSA programme offers an opportunity to establish this architecture as the main maritime safety system in the area, while at the same time strengthening national capacities, deepening regional coordination, and expanding collaboration with other players in this field in Africa and the Indian Ocean, stated Marimou. The Safe Seas Africa programme component implemented by the IOC will help consolidate and amplify the achievements of the Maritime Security (MASE) programme. The programme is financed by the European Union through a regional maritime safety architecture covering the entire western Indian Ocean, which was set up in 2018.
The European Union plays a crucial role as a partner with the Indian Ocean in strengthening maritime security in this region. Illegal acts on the high seas pose serious threats to development, peace and stability in the region. Recent acts of piracy, drug trafficking, overfishing, and other illegal acts are the challenges that need to be addressed. In this context, the European Union has committed to the IOC to prepare the guidelines for the Safe Seas Africa programme and the actions that will be implemented in the region, stated the EU Ambassador .
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The programme will include joint maritime security efforts across the Gulf of Guinea, the western Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean, with interconnecting architectures and mechanisms. Two procedures that have led to regional agreements on the exchange of maritime information and the coordination of state action at sea form the foundation of the regional maritime safety architecture.
