On 3-4 September 2018 in Mahé (Seychelles), more than 60 senior officials from 20 Indian Ocean countries and international organisations discussed the added value of the IORIS web-based platform, its operationalisation and its future regional governance.
Initiated by EU CRIMARIO project, IORIS – the new secure communications platform for information sharing and incident management at sea – provides the essential tool that will enable member countries to set up collaborative working environments to improve the understanding of the maritime domain and coordinate operations when incidents at sea occur. It expresses the cooperative approach that has been developed by the European Union to address piracy and new maritime security challenges faced by the Indian Ocean littoral states such as drugs and arms trafficking, illegal fishing, environmental damages, etc.
During the two-day event , senior officials from Eastern Africa, South-East Asia countries, and international organisations, discovered the potential of the IORIS platform as a sustainable, regionally owned tool, and discussed its future regional governance. Participants also discussed the potential expansion of the IORIS member to include South-East Asia countries. The EU CRIMARIO team presented the training programme and the forthcoming steps for ensuring a concrete operationalisation of IORIS within the Indian Ocean countries. The objective is to meet the challenges of IORIS becoming a truly regional platform owned and managed by the Region.
Whilst hosting the IORIS inauguration, Seychelles government illustrated their commitment in securing the regional maritime domain. The conference was attended by high profile representatives from Seychelles and agencies involved in the maritime security (RCOC, Coast Guard, DRDM, SAF, Port Authority, etc.) introduced by Ronny Matatiken, deputy director of RCOC. The conference also gathered some 60 delegates from 10 IO countries (Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Somalia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka), international organisations (African Union, UNODC), European Union agencies (Commission, EU NAVFOR) and diplomatic missions. The organisation of the event was coordinated by the CRIMARIO team and Expertise France, the implementing agency.
The event culminated in the delegates being welcomed on board the French Navy frigate Floreal during its port call in Mahé. Floreal is regularly tasked to contribute to the EU NAVFOR Atalanta operations.
To know more on EU CRIMARIO and IORIS, download the following presentations:
– Information sharing activities and achievements by David Nattrass 
– What is IORIS by David Nattrass
– Training and capacity building activities and achievements by Olivier Bézier
– IORIS functions step by step by Olivier Bézier on Youtube
Opening speeches and testimonies
– Speech of Ronny Matatiken, deputy director of RCOC
– Speech of Marjaana Sall, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Mauritius and Seychelles
– Testimony of Nancy Karigithu, Kenya Principal Secretary Shipping and Maritime Affairs
– Testimony of Jean-Edmond Randrianantenaina, director general RMIFC