A workshop to formulate a comprehensive roadmap for a National Maritime Information Sharing Centre (NMISC) has taken place (30 June-3 July) in Comoros, marking an important step towards strengthening maritime security and enhancing regional maritime domain awareness.
Participants* from key government ministries, national agencies and maritime stakeholders attended the workshop, which aimed to support national authorities in developing a practical, nationally owned roadmap to guide the NMISC towards achieving Initial Operating Capability (IOC). The workshop also helped strengthen a unified, whole-of-government approach to maritime security.
Discussions focused on assessing existing institutional arrangements and current legal and operational frameworks, while identifying priority actions to address technical, legal and coordination gaps affecting information exchange.
The NMISC will serve as a key operational mechanism for improving information sharing and coordination among national agencies responsible for maritime safety and security, law enforcement, customs, immigration and fisheries. It forms part of the country's broader efforts to strengthen its maritime security architecture and complements the work of the National Maritime Security Committee established under the EU-funded Port Security Project.
A key objective of the roadmap is to ensure that the NMISC will be fully integrated into the wider regional information-sharing network established under the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment (DCoC/JA). This includes strengthening operational cooperation with the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles.
The roadmap will guide future technical assistance and capacity-building activities, supporting Comoros in developing an effective national maritime information-sharing capability while contributing to collective maritime security across the Western Indian Ocean.
The workshop was sponsored by the European Union under the Safe Seas for Africa project and was jointly facilitated by IMO and the Government of the Union of the Comoros.
*Participants attended from the National Maritime Affairs Agency (ANAM), National Center for State Action at Sea (CNAEM), National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACM), CNSPS, GCC, National Fisheries Control and Surveillance Centre (CNCSP) and an International Liaison Officer at the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar.
