By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Djibouti, 29 November 2025 — Djibouti on Thursday hosted a national coordination meeting on maritime security under the European Union–funded Regional Programme on Maritime Security in the Red Sea Area, bringing together senior officials from national institutions and international partners working to secure critical shipping routes.
The meeting, held at Camp Lemonier, is part of an EU-supported initiative jointly implemented by INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Those in attendance included the Commander of the Djibouti Coast Guard, Wais Omar Bogoreh; the UN Resident Coordinator in Djibouti, José Barahona; the EU Ambassador to Djibouti and IGAD, Denisa-Elena Ionete; head of the UNODC Office for Djibouti and Somalia, Mostafa Elbanna; Deputy Director-General for Maritime Affairs, Ahmed Moussa Ahmed; as well as representatives of the National Navy.
Officials discussed security of maritime lanes, fight against illegal activities at sea, need for improved national information-sharing, and measures to strengthen interoperability among agencies involved in maritime security.
Djibouti Coast Guard Commander Bogoreh reaffirmed Djibouti’s commitment to safeguarding its waters and expanding cooperation with regional and international partners.
He praised ongoing EU-funded capacity-building efforts, noting enhanced operational coordination with missions such as EUNAVFOR Atalanta and ASPIS, including joint responses to attacks at sea and rescue operations in international waters.
EU Ambassador Ionete said maritime security in the Red Sea remains central to regional stability, adding that Djibouti’s strategic position along one of the world’s busiest trade corridors underscores the importance of continued cooperation.
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She highlighted the effectiveness of EU external action tools, including Atalanta and other executive missions, in supporting partner states across the region.
UN Resident Coordinator Barahona told participants that Djibouti’s role is critical for regional maritime resilience.
“It is a great pleasure to gather here today among loyal and reliable partners in the field of maritime security,” he said. “Djibouti occupies an exceptional strategic position at the heart of a vital maritime corridor. This responsibility is shared, and coordination among partners makes a real difference.”
He also commended UNODC’s model of technical engagement, describing it as an example of how UN agencies can provide targeted expertise without requiring large permanent deployments.
The EU-funded Red Sea Maritime Security Programme, launched in 2022, supports Red Sea states — including Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — in strengthening maritime governance, port security, surveillance, criminal justice cooperation, and responses to illicit maritime activity.
Organisers said Thursday’s meeting would help align national institutions around a unified approach to maritime security and improve integrated monitoring of Djibouti’s territorial waters and adjacent international sea lanes.
