In advocating for the sustainable exploitation and development of the oceans and coastal areas for the economic benefits, the James Michel Foundation is well aware of the many crimes that take place at sea. Seychelles in particular has and continues to face the threat ofpiracy and other maritime security challenges such as drugs and arms trafficking, illegal fishing, environmental damages, etc. these have the potential of affecting Blue Economy activities and initiatives.

 That is why from the onset, the Executive Chairman, former President James Michel sought partnerships and collaboration with international partners like the European Union. These initiatives taken are paying dividend.

 The European Union’s Critical Maritime Routes Indian Ocean CRIMARIO project has announced that it will be launching anew and secure communications platform for

information sharing and incident management for the Indian Ocean region. This will provide the essential tools to enable member countries to set up collaborative working environments for improved understanding of the maritime domain and coordinate operations when incidents occur at sea.

 This is good news indeed. In his address to the 4^th Blue Planet Symposium in Toulouse, France recently, Mr. Michel Foundation called for collaborative actions between nations to address the information gaps and information sharing. “If we are to achieve a better flow of information and for it to be productive, the main recommendation I would make is to strengthen collaborative arrangements, bringing together large nations and small island states like my own”.

Mr. Michel recommended the setting up of regional information sharing initiatives and data banks, noting that sometimes it is not a lack of information that is the problem. The information it is not always as accessible or as easy to transfer as one might expect.   

The inauguration will be part of a two day meeting on 2^nd and 3^rd September in Seychelles. EU CRIMARIO has invited senior officials from Eastern Africa and South-East Asia countries, and international organisations, to discover the potential of the IORIS platform as a sustainable, regionally owned tool, and to discuss its future regional governance. Participants will also discuss the potential expansion of the IORIS member to include South-East Asia countries.