SEYCHELLES: For the second consecutive year, Seychelles is hosting the Maritime Rule of Law Exercise (MROLEX), organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

According to Seychelles News Agency, the training session included participants from Seychelles, Mauritius, and Somalia. It ran from October 18 to 31 and involved 32 participants, including soldiers, who were monitored by two observers. The second part of the training will include participants from Comoros, Djibouti, and Madagascar.

The exercise is composed of three parts and simulates various operations related to maritime law, such as vessel detection, boarding, prosecution of maritime crimes, and maintenance of vessels. A team from the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) will facilitate two maritime rule of law exercises at its advanced regional training center in Seychelles, following a series of national-level table-top exercises delivered to all signatory states of the Maritime Security in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region (MASE) agreement.

Errol Fonseka, Seychelles’ Minister for Internal Affairs and Immigration, spoke at the closing ceremony for the first part of the exercise. He noted that hosting this regional maritime security exercise was an honor for Seychelles. Fonseka emphasized the importance of international cooperation in enhancing maritime security capabilities for the western Indian Ocean region, citing the ongoing vulnerabilities posed by illicit activities at sea, such as narcotics and illegal fishing.

The team of experts facilitating the exercises comprises legal, maritime law enforcement, maritime maintenance, and maritime domain awareness (MDA) specialists. The training sessions will include participants from countries that speak English, French, and Swahili to facilitate ease of communication and fluidity throughout the exercise.

Fonseka concluded by stating that the MROLEX exercise and the diverse set of participants contribute to the exchange of perspectives and best practices. He emphasized that this also fosters a professional network that can be used for sharing information and improving collaboration to address regional and international maritime challenges.