Seychelles chairs Strategic Consultative Meeting of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA) in Bahrain
The Republic of Seychelles, in its capacity as Chair of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA), successfully chaired the strategic consultative meeting of the Contact Group on Thursday, 23 October 2025, on the margins of the 53rd Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) Conference held in Bahrain. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Gervais Moumou, Seychelles’ resident Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
The session brought together over fifty participants representing member states, regional organisations, international partners, and the private sector, as well as institutions such as the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), Djibouti Code of Conduct – Jeddah Amendment (DCoC-JA), the European Union (EU), EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta, Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), International Maritime Organization (IMO), and World Shipping Council (WSC).
The meeting marked the first CGIMA engagement under Seychelles’ Chairmanship, following the official handover from the Republic of Kenya earlier this year. It served as a platform to review and endorse the CGIMA Strategic Roadmap for 2025 – 2026, which was presented by the Chair as the key guiding document outlining Seychelles’ vision, priorities, and practical steps to strengthen regional coordination and dialogue on maritime security across the Western Indian Ocean.
The Roadmap aims to revitalise CGIMA’s role as a trusted and inclusive mechanism for dialogue and cooperation, bridging strategic discussion with operational coordination and promoting complementarity with existing frameworks. It is anchored on six objectives: consolidating CGIMA’s convening and coordination role, facilitating informed dialogue on emerging maritime threats, promoting synergies among regional mechanisms such as DCoC-JA, SHADE, CMF, and IOC’s RMSA, deepening understanding of maritime governance and legal finish, expanding engagement with interagency and industry actors, and increasing CGIMA’s visibility and influence globally.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Moumou highlighted Seychelles’ commitment to advancing regional maritime security and cooperation through dialogue and collective action. He noted that CGIMA, as the successor to the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), has evolved to address a wider range of maritime challenges including trafficking, illegal fishing, and environmental crimes. “Our shared waters connect us, not divide us,” he stated. “CGIMA will continue to serve as the bridge between dialogue and delivery, ensuring that regional collaboration translates into practical outcomes for the safety, security, and sustainability of the Western Indian Ocean.”
The roundtable discussion saw broad support for Seychelles’ inclusive and pragmatic leadership. Participants welcomed the Strategic Roadmap as a clear framework for enhancing coordination, avoiding duplication, and promoting regional ownership. The meeting endorsed the Roadmap in principle, with final adoption to take place at the next CGIMA Plenary in 2026. It concluded with renewed commitment to strengthen collaboration among regional mechanisms and reaffirmed Seychelles’ leading role in advancing maritime security and governance across the Western Indian Ocean.
Source : Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora – Republic of Seychelles
