Nairobi to host EU-backed regional Maritime Security Week
The event, dubbed "EU Regional Maritime Security Week", will feature discussions on maritime threats such as piracy, illicit trafficking, and unsafe navigation, which remain interconnected and transnational.
Nairobi is set to host a high-level, regional maritime security conference to strengthen coordination towards a harmonised approach to addressing maritime security across the Red Sea, East Africa, Southern Africa, and the Western Indian Ocean.
The event, dubbed "EU Regional Maritime Security Week", will feature discussions on maritime threats such as piracy, illicit trafficking, and unsafe navigation, which remain interconnected and transnational.
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It is organised by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with Kenya, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and Interpol.
A joint press release by the organisers says the event, set to run between December 2 and December 5, will convene the Steering Committees of the EU-funded Safe Seas for Africa Programme, the Red Sea Programme, and the Port Security and Safety of Navigation Programme.
"For the first time, these three programme governance bodies will meet in a single forum, enabling more coherent planning, coordination, and collective decision-making across regions," the statement notes.
It added that the Steering Committee of the Regional Maritime Security Architecture (RMSA), which is funded mainly by the Safe Seas for Africa Programme, will also take place during this EU Maritime Security Week.
These programmes benefit the coastal and Island States from Namibia to the Red Sea.
The event takes place a month after Kenya Defence Force's Marine commandos intercepted a flagless motor vessel, 'Mashallah', that had been under the watch of international drug enforcement agencies, in the Indian Ocean on October 23.
A successful search and seizure operation led to the recovery of 769 packets of methamphetamine totalling 1,024 kilograms, valued at $63 million (Sh8.2 billion).
The Maritime Security Week forms part of the EU's Global Gateway strategy, which fosters sustainable connectivity, resilient infrastructure, and mutually beneficial partnerships as a secure maritime environment remains critical to Africa's trade, prosperity, and long-term security.
"Bringing these Steering Committees together represents 'a strategic step towards ensuring synergy, complementarity and a unified approach to maritime security across Africa's key maritime basins," it added.
The EU reiterated its commitment to building on the achievements of past and ongoing programmes, ensuring coherence between EU action and continental and regional policy frameworks.
It noted that with several beneficiary countries participating in more than one maritime initiative, the event offers a timely opportunity to avoid duplication, maximise impact, and strengthen joint ownership of results.
It is expected that the union, its partners, and participating countries will continue to work collectively to enhance maritime governance, reinforce institutional resilience, and support the secure, sustainable, and rules-based use of African waters, a vital pillar for regional stability and the growth of the blue economy.
"The EU Regional Maritime Security Week will therefore serve as a platform for experience-sharing, strategic dialogue, and joint action, promoting a safer and more secure maritime domain for all."
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