Supporting the health of island nations with maritime law enforcement

The ocean brings huge opportunities for island states like Mauritius and Seychelles with the Western Indian Ocean as one of the main maritime routes in the world. Legitimate global trade depends on this route, but the vastness of the ocean creates opportunities for maritime crime including piracy, trafficking of drugs, arms, people, and prohibited goods, smuggling and illicit fishing.

According to the Mauritian Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands, the persistent scourge of piracy off the coasts of Somalia threatens the security of private sector development, regional and international trade, economic integration, and development. While the influx of drugs, smuggling of goods, and human trafficking increase crime within society. Together with the unacceptable human cost – crime takes its toll on the ability of the country to meet its development priorities including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

From 18-31 October at the advanced regional training centre in Seychelles the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) traveling team of experts facilitated two maritime rule of law exercises - MROLEX. The training looked at maritime security operations, ranging from vessel detection capabilities, legally-sound boarding procedures, the maintenance of maritime assets, and prosecution of maritime crime.

The thirty-two participants from Mauritius, Seychelles and Somalia who attended represented personnel from maritime law enforcement (coast guard, marines, police, customs), maritime maintenance (engineers from coast guard or police), prosecutors (either from ODPP for example or judiciary), and maritime domain awareness (watch standers who form part of national coast guard or police). South-South knowledge sharing is embedded in the training as the various country teams meeting in Seychelles were given the opportunity to learn from one another and establish contacts with fellow law enforcement personnel from neighbouring countries. Such professional networks form the basis for the joint effort to tackle common threats and challenges on regional and international levels.

In her closing remarks at the MROLEX I training, Ms. Lisa Singh, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles thanked the Seychelles Ministry of Internal Affairs, Seychelles Defence Forces, and Seychelles Police Force for their collaboration emphasizing that strengthening good governance, particularly as it relates to the rule of law is a shared responsibility that we must all embrace.

Highlighting the necessity to be ready to address these issues nationally and as a region at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Maritime Safety and Security in the Western Indian Ocean held in November in Mauritius a key aim was to confirm and amplify commitments by the members states to combat risks and crimes at sea. As part of the Final Declaration: “The Conference recognises that the Ministerial Conferences’ outcomes require a regionally led, coordinated and complementary maritime security and safety mechanism as a deterrence against transboundary illicit and criminal activities at sea.”  The United Nations remains committed to working in partnership to keep our oceans and people safe. This assurance is demonstrated by the presence of maritime issues in all three of the focus areas broadly encompassing People, Prosperity and Planet of the two new Cooperation Framework’s for 2024 – 2028 co-signed by the UN and host governments in Mauritius and Seychelles.