United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in partnership with the Interregional Maritime Security Institute (ISMI) of the Regional Academy of Marine Sciences and Technologies (ARSTM), is organizing two training courses in Abidjan from July 14 to 18 and July 21 to 25, 2025. These sessions are held at the ISMI premises in Yopougon.
The first course focuses on the “Legal Framework of Maritime Security,” while the second centers on “Responses to Events at Sea.” Twenty participants from 18 West and Central African countries are taking part in this initiative, which is part of the “Save Seas for Africa” project, funded by the European Union.
The objective is to strengthen the capacities of law enforcement actors at sea and improve legal frameworks in the region. It also aims to enhance maritime security and safety, ensure better incident management, and contribute to a stable maritime environment conducive to regional economic development.
During the opening ceremony on Monday, July 14, 2025, Attisso Kodjo, representative of the UNODC national office, praised the initiative. “I am convinced that the exchanges over these two weeks will help consolidate your strategies and strengthen resilience to unforeseen events. Together, we can make our oceans a space of trust, prosperity, and peace,” he said. He also noted that this is the first training of its kind organized by UNODC on this topic.
Colonel Abé Aké Lazare, director of ISMI, expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration. He highlighted that these trainings will equip naval forces, coast guards, maritime police, and port authorities to anticipate and respond effectively to incidents at sea. He also praised the cooperation between ISMI and UNODC as essential to combating threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
Stéphanie Aglietti, security program officer at the European Union delegation in Côte d’Ivoire, recalled that this support fits within the European strategy for the Gulf of Guinea, adopted in 2014 and updated in 2022. “With the Save Seas for Africa project, we support states’ efforts to combat piracy, illegal fishing, marine environmental harm, and all forms of maritime crime,” she affirmed. She also emphasized that maritime security is a key driver of growth, environmental resilience, and regional cooperation.
Source: fratmat
