Representatives from twelve countries convened in Nairobi for a high-level forum aimed at reinforcing global efforts to combat transnational organized crime at sea.
The meeting, held under the Indo-Pacific Project of INTERPOL’s Maritime Security Unit, marks a significant step toward strengthening maritime security cooperation across multiple jurisdictions.
Kenya is hosting the Regional Case Coordination Meeting (RCCM) in partnership with INTERPOL and other key stakeholders committed to safeguarding international waters from criminal networks.
In remarks delivered on his behalf by Director of Complaints Mr. Bernard Nyakwakwa, the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mohammed I. Amin, underscored the urgent need for sustained international collaboration.
“No single nation can tackle complex criminal networks alone,” he noted, emphasizing that coordinated regional and global partnerships remain critical to effective law enforcement and the protection of shared maritime routes.
He reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to deepening cooperation with regional and international partners to ensure that criminal enterprises operating across borders are effectively disrupted.
The RCCM provides a strategic platform for investigators, prosecutors, and National Central Bureau representatives to align operational, legal, and strategic responses. The forum seeks to strengthen trust among participating states, harmonize investigative and prosecutorial approaches, and enhance intelligence sharing mechanisms across jurisdictions.
Officials said the meeting builds on previous successful joint operations that have dismantled trafficking networks, protected maritime corridors, and reinforced the rule of law beyond national borders.
Throughout the week, officers — including those from Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations — are expected to engage in in-depth deliberations focused on consolidating gains made under earlier collaborations. Discussions will also center on promoting transparency and transforming cross-border cooperation from reactive information exchanges into proactive, sustained partnerships.
The participating countries include Brazil, Cambodia, Djibouti, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand — reflecting a broad coalition spanning Africa, Asia, and South America in the collective fight against maritime crime.
The Nairobi forum signals a renewed commitment to collective security, recognizing that maritime crime — from trafficking and smuggling to illegal fishing and organized criminal operations — demands unified global action.
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