States in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden region have established a new framework for joint maritime operations, supported by 15 partner organisations.
The IMO said the framework will serve as a roadmap for navies, law enforcement and regulatory bodies in the region to enhance maritime security by translating policy commitments into tangible cooperation at sea.
The agreement was reached at the inaugural meeting of Working Group Three on Operational Cooperation and Coordination at Sea under the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC) Jeddah Amendment, held in Mombasa, Kenya, earlier this month. All 21 signatory states of the DCoC, which seeks to combat transnational maritime crime in all its forms, are included in the framework.
"Recognising the potential of national, regional and international naval forces to assist maritime law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies to carry out their duties is a huge step in enhancing the effectiveness of maritime security," Danish Maritime Ambassador Nicolai Ruge said in his opening remarks at the meeting. "It will require close cooperation and coordination between navies and law enforcement authorities in the region."
Adopted in 2009, the DCoC united regional states against piracy and armed robbery at sea. Its scope has since expanded to address other maritime crimes, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and trafficking in persons and weapons.
In 2017, states adopted the Jeddah Amendment to the code, which calls for strengthened cooperation to combat transnational maritime crime.