Mauritius hosts High-Level Meeting on Maritime Security
The 8th High-Level Meeting on the implementation of the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct, a key forum in maritime security, spanning from 12 to 14 November 2025, kicked off today at the Hilton Mauritius Resort and Spa in Flic-en-Flac.
The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell; the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mr Fabrice Gilles David; and the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Mauritius and Seychelles, Mr Oskar Benedikt delivered their keynote address at the opening ceremony. The opening also featured remarks of the Director of the Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Dr Jose Matheickal.
Senior representatives from the IMO, the EU and the Indian Ocean Commission and over hundreds of delegates from across the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden are participating in this three-day High- Level Meeting.
Minister Boolell recalled the importance of sustainably exploring and exploiting the potential of the ocean while ensuring the proper monitoring and surveillance of Mauritius’ vast Exclusive Economic Zone. He highlighted Government’s vision to consolidating the country’s position as a Large Ocean State, committed to harnessing the opportunities of the ocean economy.
The Minister urged the delegates to work collectively towards the establishment of a comprehensive roadmap and legal framework to strengthen regional capacity and promote a safer, secure and sustainable maritime environment free.
Junior Minister David underscored that maritime security is a shared responsibility as challenges have become transnational. He reaffirmed Mauritius’ role as a bridge between Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the wider world, promoting dialogue, cooperation, and resilience to safeguard the region’s shared maritime heritage.
As for Ambassador Benedikt, he reiterated the EU’s support to maritime security initiatives across the region through several projects including the Safe Seas Africa, Port Security Project, and the Regional Programme for Maritime Security in the Red Sea Area. He pointed out that the EU provides over 80 million euros annually towards strengthening maritime security in the Westen Indian Ocean.
Djibouti Code of Conduct
The Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC) was launched in 2009 with the support of the IMO as a direct response to the surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia. Mauritius, a member of the DCoC since 2010, has consistently demonstrated strong leadership within the DCoC framework. The increase in maritime threats in the region led to the adoption of the Jeddah Amendment in 2017, which expanded the DCoC to address a wider range of transnational maritime crimes including human trafficking; illicit smuggling; illegal; unreported and unregulated fishing; and environmental violations. It then became known as the Djibouti Code of Conduct /Jeddah Amendment, DCoC/JA.
The DCoC/JA promotes alignment among participating States on maritime security strategies, encourages mutual support, and strengthens collective capacity by facilitating joint training programmes, exercises, and information-sharing.
Source : GIS Mauritius
