States in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden region have agreed on a new framework for joint maritime operations, supported by 15 partner organizations, according to IMO's release.
The initiative aims to provide navies, law enforcement and regulatory bodies with a roadmap to turn policy commitments into operational cooperation at sea.
The agreement was reached during the inaugural meeting of Working Group 3 on Operational Cooperation and Coordination at Sea under the Djibouti Code of Conduct / Jeddah Amendment (DCoC/JA), held in Mombasa, Kenya from 1 to 4 September 2025.
All 21 signatory States of the DCoC are part of the framework. The meeting was hosted by the Kenya Navy and organized with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), with support from the Kingdom of Denmark, UNITAR, and the Indian Ocean Commission. It followed a resolution of the DCoC High-Level Meeting in Dar es Salaam in November 2024, where members committed to improving Maritime Domain Awareness and interdiction at sea.
Danish Maritime Ambassador Nicolai Ruge emphasized that “while the international community can provide short-term support, the long-term solution to maritime threats must be developed and led by countries within the region.” He underlined the need for close cooperation between navies and law enforcement authorities.
Major General Paul Otieno, Commander of the Kenya Navy, said that Working Group 3 would be a critical mechanism for translating policy into practice.
Mashudu Nepfumbada, Chair of the DCoC, said the region could achieve a harmonized framework against maritime threats if the group applied “Coordination, Collaboration & Cooperation.” UNITAR’s Sascha Weh noted that satellite imagery and vessel monitoring supported by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) could now be embedded into operations. Raj Mohabeer of the Indian Ocean Commission called for sharing experiences to avoid duplication and maximize resources.
IMO’s Djibouti Code of Conduct Project Manager, Kiruja Micheni, highlighted the multiple roles of navies in maritime security and the importance of interoperability. Delegates discussed emerging threats such as missile and drone attacks against ships and underscored the need to address capability development, sustainability and legal gaps.
The DCoC was adopted in 2009 to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea, later expanded to cover other maritime crimes. The Jeddah Amendment of 2017 called for stronger cooperation against transnational maritime crime.