A workshop on strengthening maritime governance across Somalia’s maritime zones to counter piracy, illegal fishing and other maritime threats was delivered in Mogadishu (2-6 August) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
The workshop was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Ports and Marine Transport, H.E. Fartun Abdulkadir Farah, and attended by representatives from the European Union Delegation to Somalia and the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP), reflecting the EU’s sustained support for maritime institutional development.
Attended by 20 participants from key government ministries, departments, and agencies engaged in maritime affairs, the workshop provided a platform to review strategic priorities, share perspectives, and identify mechanisms to better coordinate efforts to mitigate national maritime security risks and address regional and international obligations.
Through plenary discussion and group exercises, participants developed a consolidated list of security threats to shape the development of a National Maritime Security Risk Register, identified the aim, strategic objectives and key focus areas to be addressed in a National Maritime Security Strategy, and developed a comprehensive strategy template.
The workshop is the latest in a series of activities under the EU-funded Regional Programme for Maritime Security in the Red Sea Area (Red Sea Programme). The IMO implements the programme in cooperation with strategic partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Through this programme, the IMO aims to assist participating countries in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to enhance maritime security and safety, in line with the objectives of the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy. The outcomes of the workshop shall contribute to the operationalization of a new national governance framework and development of a National Maritime Security Strategy to enhance the long-term sustainability of Somalia’s maritime zones and bolster the regional security framework.