Maritime security experts, policymakers, researchers, and regional stakeholders have called for stronger collaboration between governments, research institutions, and maritime agencies to address emerging security threats in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO).

The call was made during the launch of the Regional Maritime Security Architecture (RMSA) Policy Brief, an initiative of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) developed in partnership with the University of Oxford.

The event held in Mombasa brought together maritime governance experts, security practitioners, academics, and development partners to discuss the future of maritime security cooperation in the region.

Speaking during the launch, Kenya Navy Fleet Commander Brigadier Mohamed Shemote described the Western Indian Ocean as a region of immense strategic significance, serving as a critical artery for global trade, energy flows, and economic development while supporting the livelihoods of millions of people through the blue economy.

However, he noted that the maritime space continues to face complex challenges, including piracy, illicit trafficking, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, marine pollution, and the growing impacts of climate change.

"These threats transcend national boundaries and require coordinated regional responses," said Brigadier Shemote.

He commended the Indian Ocean Commission for its leadership in advancing maritime security cooperation across the region, noting that the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Architecture has strengthened maritime domain awareness and improved coordination of operations at sea through regional information-sharing mechanisms.

"A notable achievement has been the establishment of the Regional Maritime Security Architecture. Through the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre in Madagascar and the Regional Coordination of Operations Centre in Seychelles, supported by national maritime information-sharing centres, the Architecture has strengthened maritime domain awareness and improved coordination of operations at sea," he said.

The Fleet Commander noted that for Kenya, the RMSA represents more than a security framework, describing it as a practical expression of a shared commitment to safeguarding maritime resources, protecting the blue economy, and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity across the Western Indian Ocean.

The newly launched policy brief highlights the achievements of the RMSA in strengthening regional coordination and collective responses to illicit activities at sea while identifying priorities for its future sustainability and strategic development.

Brigadier Shemote further emphasized the importance of research-informed maritime governance, noting that the rapidly evolving maritime environment requires policies and institutions that can adapt to emerging risks and opportunities.

"Evidence-based analysis enables policymakers and practitioners to better understand emerging risks, identify opportunities, and develop sustainable solutions," he said, while applauding the collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Indian Ocean Commission in producing the policy brief.

Brigadier Shemote reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to supporting regional maritime security initiatives and called on stakeholders to continue investing in cooperation, knowledge, and innovation to build a secure and prosperous maritime future for the Western Indian Ocean.

"We remain fully committed to supporting this shared vision," he said.

On her part Professor Kate Sullivan de Estrada, a researcher at the University of Oxford, said the RMSA Policy Brief demonstrates the value of long-term partnerships between researchers and policymakers in addressing complex maritime security challenges.

She noted that effective policy solutions emerge not from isolated academic work, but through sustained engagement, trust, and collaboration between scholars and practitioners.

"The research is not missing; it is simply not sitting where we would conventionally expect to find it," she said, explaining that the policy brief is the product of years of dialogue, observation, and cooperation between researchers and maritime security practitioners across the region.

She emphasized that understanding is produced through relationships and shared experiences rather than detached analysis alone. 

Professor Sullivan noted that the brief reflects a collective effort to understand and present the Regional Maritime Security Architecture from a regional perspective, bringing together academic expertise and practical experience.

According to her, such collaborations help ensure that maritime security policies are informed by local realities and regional priorities. 

She further argued that research on maritime security should begin with the concerns and experiences of countries within the Western Indian Ocean rather than relying solely on frameworks developed elsewhere.

"Collaborative research creates the possibility of beginning with regional concerns, experiences and projects," she said, adding that engaged research-policy partnerships help generate better questions, richer understanding, and more regionally grounded knowledge.