New Concept Note on Maritime Security in Seychelles published

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The Seychelles provides a particularly interesting case study as an archipelagic Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in which oceans policy for sustainable development and maritime security are core drivers of the governmental agenda. To illuminate these important issues, SAFE SEAS has published a new Concept Note on Maritime Security in Seychelles that examines how Seychelles regulates … Read more

Approaches to maritime governance: Coordination instruments in Seychelles and Kenya

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One of the core challenges of governing the maritime in order to achieve the goals associated with maritime security and the blue economy is the coordination of the different governmental agencies implementing policies at sea and those societal actors that use the sea. Our recent meetings with practitioners in Kenya and Seychelles revealed the different approaches countries are taking in addressing this challenge.

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Understanding maritime security in Kenya

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As part of the July field visits, the core project team of SAFESEAS visited Nairobi and Mombasa (Kenya) to gain a better understanding of the maritime security sector in the country. Kenya attaches increasing importance to the maritime sector, signified not the least by the creation of the presidents Blue Economy Committee in 2017. During the … Read more

Seychelles: Small Country – Big Lessons for Capacity Building

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Famed for its idyllic beaches and pleasant tropical climate, and with a population of less than 100,000 permanent residents, Seychelles is perhaps the archetypal small island state. It is also an increasingly important actor in the maritime security of the Western Indian Ocean region. This is in large part due to two factors. First, its strategic location off the coast of East Africa, in proximity both to the troubled state of Somalia and to some of the world’s busiest and most important maritime trade routes. Second, the significance of the maritime sector to the Seychellois economy, through fishing, tourism and so on, and the willingness of the government to take on a regional leadership role in countering maritime insecurity. Seychelles for example has one of the most capable ocean-going coastguards in the region and has been one of the most active states in the region in the fight against Somali pirates, including as the leading centre for the prosecution of suspects. 

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Visiting maritime security practitioners in Seychelles

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During its field visit to the Seychelles in July, the core team of SAFESEAS met with the core maritime security agencies of the country. The objective was to gain first-hand experience of how Seychelles manages its maritime security sector, what challenges exist in the coordination as well as the implementation of the countries ambitious plans … Read more

Seychelles workshop receives national press coverage

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The recent joint-international workshop on maritime security and sustainable development held at the University of Seychelles in collaboration with SAFE SEAS, Cardiff University’s Sustainable Places Research Institute, the University of Seychelles James Michel Blue Economy Research Institute and the Sir James Mancham Centre for Peace Studies and Diplomacy has received national press coverage. Read the full … Read more

SAFESEAS workshop on Maritime Security and Sustainable Development in the Seychelles

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Maritime Security and the Blue Economy are vital policy concepts for sustainable development in the western Indian Ocean. Yet, how do both of these agendas link to each other? Exploring this relationship, using the Seychelles as an exemplar, was the core task set out by a workshop at the University of Seychelles on Tuesday, the 18th of July 2017. The workshop was the outcome of a joint international initiative by SAFESEAS in collaboration with Cardiff University’s Sustainable Places Research Institute, the University of Seychelles James Michel Blue Economy Research Institute and the Sir James Mancham International Centre for Peace Studies and Diplomacy

The event held at Anse Royale, the main campus of the University of Seychelles, brought together core policy makers and users of the sea to discuss the organisation of marine policy in the Seychelles, as well as the challenges and success stories of the country.

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SAFESEAS meets EU CRIMARIO

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At the recent CGPCS 20th plenary in Mauritius, the SAFE SEAS team held a meeting with representatives of EU Critical Maritime Route Wider Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO) project to learn more about the projects plans and activities with regard to enhancing Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) and capacity building in the western Indian Ocean.

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Africa’s Lomé Charter on maritime security: What are the next steps?

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Edwin Egede, Cardiff University

The African Charter on Maritime Security, Safety and Development in Africa (the Lomé Charter) is the outcome of the African Union Extraordinary Summit held in Lomé, Togo in October 2016. The idea of the Lomé special session was to build up on the results of previous summits held in Yaoundé (June 2013) and the Seychelles (February 2015) and to take the African blue economy and maritime security agendas forward.

The Lomé Charter is a momentous document in three main ways. First, it moves the African maritime security agenda from a mainly soft law, non-binding approach, as reflected in vital instruments such as the 2009 Djibouti Code of Conduct, the 2013 Yaoundé Code of Conduct or the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIM Strategy) adopted in 2014, to a hard law, legally binding treaty approach. Second, it seeks to accentuate the crucial linkages between maritime security and safety, and the huge prospects of utilising the marine spaces and resources as a key driver of Africa’s economic and social development. Third, it provides a legally binding definition, though framed in rather general terms, of Blue/Ocean Economy. Article 1 of the Charter defines the Blue/Ocean Economy as “sustainable economic development of oceans using such technics as regional development to integrate the use of seas and oceans, coasts, lakes, rivers, and underground water for economic purposes, including, but without being limited to fisheries, mining, energy, aquaculture and maritime transport, while protecting the sea to improve social wellbeing”.

In this blog, I argue that although the Lome Charter is a positive achievement, to effectively progress on the African Blue Economy there is a need to develop the annexes to the Charter to highlight the developmental aspects of the Blue Economy. Also, I identify some challenges that would arise as regards the actual implementation of the Charter.

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SAFESEAS attends 20th plenary meeting of the Contact Group on Piracy

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From the 5th to 7th of July the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia held its 20th plenary meeting in Mauritius. Christian Bueger and Robert McCabe from the SAFESEAS team participated in the working group meetings and plenary discussions. Dr. Bueger was part of the Seychelles delegation and advised the Chairmen’s team … Read more