9th Indian Ocean Conference – Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA) Friends of the Chair (FoC) Meeting

The Republic of Seychelles, in its capacity as Chair of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA), convened a Friends of the Chair Meeting on 11 April 2026 on the margins of the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Balaclava, Mauritius. The meeting was chaired by Major General Michael Rosette, Chief of Defence Forces of the Republic of Seychelles, and brought together representatives of partner states, regional and international organisations, maritime security practitioners, and independent experts.

Held in a hybrid format, the meeting provided a timely platform to take stock of recent developments affecting the maritime security environment in the Western Indian Ocean and adjoining maritime spaces. Discussions focused on the evolving security landscape, including the broader implications of current tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and Bab el-Mandeb, as well as their effects on shipping routes, freight and insurance costs, and the broader predictability of maritime trade.

In his opening remarks, Major General Rosette underlined that these developments are being felt directly by countries of the region, particularly small island states whose security and economic wellbeing remain closely tied to the stability of the maritime domain. He noted that, alongside current geopolitical tensions, the region continues to face persistent and overlapping maritime threats, including piracy, trafficking in narcotics and arms, human trafficking, IUU fishing, and other illicit maritime activities. He further drew attention to the growing importance of safeguarding critical submarine infrastructure, including undersea cables, given their significance for global connectivity and economic resilience.

The meeting featured presentations from key maritime security actors, including EUNAVFOR Atalanta, the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC), and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN). These briefings provided operational updates, threat assessments, and insights into the human dimension of current maritime insecurity, particularly the impact of ongoing tensions on seafarers and commercial shipping.

Participants also heard interventions from independent experts who shared strategic reflections on the changing maritime security environment, the importance of regional governance, and the need to continually adapt existing frameworks to emerging realities.

During the exchanges that followed, delegations and partners reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation, information-sharing, capacity-building in support of maritime security in the Indian Ocean and institutional resilience.

The next CGIMA plenary session is expected to take place in person in July 2026.

Major General Rosette was accompanied by Mr. Christian Faure, Director General, and Mr. Andry Accouche, First Secretary, both representatives of the Regional Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora.

Source : Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora – Republic of Seychelles.