The three days event convened government officials and experts from 80 organisations from east Africa across to the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and both coasts of Latin America.

The meeting took place against a backdrop of increasingly complex and tensioned maritime environment, reinforcing the shared understanding that no single nation can effectively respond alone to today’s maritime safety and security challenges, to protect the shipping lines and sea-related economic activities.

During the conference, participants explored how partners can consolidate and exploit IORIS to address key challenges and threats, such as shipping security, counternarcotics, port safety, search and rescue, and the monitoring of sanctioned or falsely flagged vessels. Discussions focused on enhancing its role in live operations and regional coordination, also addressing long-term sustainability, lessons learned, and future opportunities such as the integration of Artificial Intelligence.

Opening the event, Ondrej Simek, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Kenya remarked: “Kenya sits at a strategic gateway to the Western Indian Ocean, where maritime routes connect Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and beyond. At a time when tensions around key chokepoints remind us how fragile global sea lanes can be, this conference brings together partners from Southeast Asia, the Pacific, South America, Africa and Europe with a shared purpose: to strengthen cooperation before crisis. This conference reflects the role of the European Union as a partner, facilitator and bridge between maritime communities — supporting cooperation, capacity building and coordinated action across regions that are connected by the sea.”

As Martin Cauchi Inglott, Director of EUCRIMARIO, underlined, ‘IORIS was created precisely to support super connectivity and interoperability. It is more than a digital platform; it is a concept that is bridging navies, authorities and agencies that need to work for a common understanding of the maritime domain. By enabling secure information sharing and trusted coordination, IORIS helps maritime actors strengthen safety and security where it matters most: in real time, across borders, and between partners. Today, we are here to strengthen IORIS governance collectively, so that this shared tool remains responsive to the needs of all users and continues to serve the common interest of safer, more resilient seas.’”

Hon. Onesimus Kipchumba, Murkomen EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and National Administration added: ” “The Mombasa IORIS high-level conference is a convergence of like minds and stakeholders within the maritime ecosystem with a common purpose of advancing secure and safer seas and thus contributing to global peace and prosperity. The conference couldn’t have come at a better time, as the world grapples with transport challenges stemming from the Middle East crisis. IORIS is therefore one of the initiatives that promotes cooperation amongst coastal nations and explores strategies to secure common waters for all. Therefore, Kenya, a strategic maritime location connecting the east and west, avails herself to fully collaborate and cooperate with stakeholders in advancing a safer maritime domain.”

The event welcomed new organisations from eight countries, who signed the IORIS Partnership Agreement, marking their commitment to operational collaboration and shared responsibility in addressing maritime security challenges across the regions.

Opening the event, the EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro remarked: “The collective presence of all partners and stakeholders today underlines our shared understanding of the need to work together across agencies and borders to uphold a peaceful, secure, and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. The European Union stands ready to support these collective efforts, fostering coordination, resilience, and freedom of navigation in line with the rule of law and the UN Charter.”

Participants will deliberate on key policy, operational and technical areas and opportunities to enhance cooperation across the region, using IORIS, from the east coast of Africa, through Asia and the Pacific, to Latin America. The event will feature presentations of success stories that illustrate the platform’s tangible impact and contribution to regional cooperation. Notable examples include the interdiction of narcotics and other contraband, life-saving interventions during complex Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, coordinated counter-piracy efforts, and cooperative actions to combat illegal, unregulated, and unreported fisheries (IUU).

“This meeting will set the path for IORIS to meet the evolving needs of our agencies and partners,” said Martin Cauchi Inglott, EU CRIMARIO project director. “We will align operational exercises, user feedback, and legal standards to build a future-ready system that strengthens trust and readiness.”

Recognizing that maritime security challenges transcend national borders, participants will work together to plan a more effective use of the platform for interagency operational coordination and international collaboration, essential to swiftly and efficiently respond to threats at sea.

Vadm Roy A. Echeverria, Director of the National Maritime Centre concluded: “In line with the recent EU-Philippines Security and Defence Dialogue, the IORIS Steering Committee Working groups meeting will further deepen our strategic partnership, opening doors for enhanced cooperation in maritime security, hybrid threats, and regional resilience. This partnership, grounded in the rule of law and international norms, underscores our shared commitment to upholding a rules-based maritime order and increase regional cooperation on maritime security.”

During the conference, officials will discuss latest IORIS improvements (such as Prime and Lite) and future plans for IORIS mobile application and variants, aimed to find suitable solutions for improving platform’s performance, usability, and operational effectiveness. Moreover, they will provide feedback on system performance, identify key successes, challenges, and lessons learned, and agree on priority improvements and follow-up actions to enhance usability and operational outcomes.

The meeting will also present plans for future IORIS trainings and exercises, including frequency, participating partners, and exercise levels, highlighting the critical role of exercises in preparing agencies for future operational challenges.

Meanwhile, the Legal Working Group will review cases concerning the admissibility of digital evidence in different jurisdictions. They will adopt a common stance on evidence obtained through IORIS and outline the legal steps required to achieve ISO 27001 certification, ensuring that digital evidence management remains secure and compliant.