East African states boost maritime intelligence sharing
16 nations met in Dar es Salaam to build a framework for sharing maritime information and coordinating responses to sea threats.
Governments across the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean are enhancing maritime surveillance and intelligence sharing to counter rising threats. A meeting in Dar es Salaam from September 15-17, hosted by Tanzania and facilitated by the IMO, brought together representatives from 16 countries. They focused on developing a draft framework for cooperation between national maritime information-sharing centres and regional bodies like the RCOC in Seychelles and the RMIC in Madagascar.
The discussions aimed to create a connected maritime security architecture, addressing issues beyond piracy to include illicit trafficking and geopolitical competition. Delegates also identified gaps in current systems for exchanging maritime information. This initiative follows incidents like the hijacking of MT Honour 25 by Somali pirates in April, which resulted in five crew deaths, and the Kenyan Navy's interception of a dhow carrying US$63 million of methamphetamine in October 2025.
The Kenyan operation highlighted the importance of cross-border intelligence, with information shared through the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell in Bahrain and surveillance assistance from Seychelles. The Kenyan Navy intercepted the dhow and escorted it to Mombasa, arresting six crew members.
Why it mattersEast African nations are strengthening maritime security cooperation to protect vital shipping routes, energy transport, and fishing activities from piracy and illicit trafficking.