Major players in the maritime sector have convened in Nairobi for the first-ever European Union Regional Maritime Security Week.
The event is a high-level forum aimed at addressing common challenges facing coastal and island states across Eastern and Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
Organisers said the event marks the first time key programme governance bodies are meeting under one roof, creating a platform for more coherent planning, coordination and collective decision-making across regions.
The interventions discussed during the week benefit coastal and island states stretching from Namibia to the Red Sea.
The European Union brought together its national and regional partners from Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean to better align and synchronise their responses to maritime threats.
The meeting is being organised 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.
The week long gathering brings national, regional and international partners together to enhance coordination towards a harmonised EU approach to maritime security across the Red Sea, East Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
The event also convenes the Steering Committees of several EU-funded programmes: the Safe Seas for Africa Programme, the Red Sea Programme, and the Port Security & Safety of Navigation Programme.
The Steering Committee of the Regional Maritime Security Architecture (RMSA), funded mainly by the Safe Seas for Africa Programme, is likewise meeting during the security week.
“For the EU, 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,” the organisers said in a statement.
They added that the EU remains committed to building on achievements of ongoing and previous programmes while aligning its actions with continental and regional policy frameworks.
With several beneficiary states involved in more than one initiative, the meeting offers a timely chance to avoid duplication, maximise impact and strengthen joint ownership of results.
Organisers emphasised that strong partnerships are central to this coordinated approach.
The EU, its partners and participating countries are collectively working to enhance maritime governance, reinforce institutional resilience and support the secure, sustainable and rules-based use of African waters.
This, they said, is vital for regional stability and the growth of the blue economy.
The meeting also provides a platform for dialogue and experience-sharing on interconnected threats such as piracy, illicit trafficking and unsafe navigation.
According to organisers, it represents part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to promote sustainable connectivity, resilient infrastructure and mutually beneficial partnerships.
A secure maritime environment, they said, remains essential for Africa’s trade, prosperity and long-term security.
