IORIS is a neutral and secure maritime information-exchange platform, which provides maritime centres, organisations, and agencies with a means to plan and coordinate maritime operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meetings aimed at discussing the future governance of IORIS with partners from a policy, legal and technical point of view with a view to submitting recommendations for discussion at the next IORIS Steering Committee, scheduled to be organised in Sri Lanka, supporting the ambition of IORIS being adopted and governed.

Furthermore, from an operational perspective, participants analysed the Regional IORIS Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the Indo-Pacific, to facilitate the exchange of timely and accurate information across the Indo- Pacific by all members. The adoption of the IORIS SOP will enhance information-exchange within regions in a harmonised manner, using standard reporting methodology and terminology, hence facilitating the coordinating process among members, with the ultimate goal of making the seas more safe and secure.

CRIMARIO II

Opening the event, the EU Ambassador to Kenya Mrs. Henriette Geiger said:

“I am very pleased to open this first important event in our IORIS endeavour. The establishment and commencement of activities of the IORIS Steering Committee Policy Board and Working Groups is another important milestone in the implementation of the Indo-Pacific governance of the IORIS platform. I note the presence at this event of representatives from Latin America, Pacific Islands, SE Asia and Indian Ocean countries. The gathering of 83 representatives from 21 countries from across Indo-Pacific is an outstanding achievement and a clear sign that the IORIS Community is consolidating and growing exponentially.”

Speaking during the opening ceremony Mr. Mathias Chisambo, on behalf of CS Hon Salim Mvurya, affirmed: “IORIS, the Indo-Pacific Information Sharing Platform, has continued to play an important role in enabling information sharing across the region where illicit maritime activities are transnational in nature. We are all aware that no country can singly combat illicit maritime activities and the continued cross border corporation will indeed increase maritime domain awareness necessary for efficient law enforcement. Your presence and participation in this meeting is critical noting that we all will rely on your contributions to develop key recommendations to the upcoming high level meeting of the Djibouti Code of Conduct in Cape Town at the end of this month, where feedback on the applications of Regional IORIS SOPs for the Indo-Pacific, and use of the IORIS platform should be reviewed.”

CRIMARIO II

Closing the event Bruno I. Shioso, OGW, Director General, Kenya Coast Guard Service said: “(During the past days) we have provided very key inputs to important working documents that shall define the future of IORIS, as speaker after speaker reminded us to make IORIS part of our daily way of doing business. Let us, as the users, therefore team up with CRIMARIO II Secretariat, and keep on making our invaluable contributions and iterations that shall lead to an improved and better interface that shall serve our nations and regions in the unforeseeable future. “

CRIMARIO II

Furthermore, Martin Cauchi-Inglott, CRIMARIO project director added: “We are moving towards the end of 3 successful days of activities, where we discussed how to use IORIS at the regional level, and adopting several Regional IORIS SOPs and various legal templates to establish how IORIS can best serve your needs. We all agreed that we can use IORIS as a prime platform to exchange information concerning maritime security threats and safety challenges, and to support sustainable fisheries, being it fully complementarity with information provided by other maritime domain awareness platforms. The IORIS Community is well established and sustainable. Thank you all for your support and engagements, making thew past 3 days very productive indeed!”