Seychelles will be assuming the role of Chair of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA), following the Contact Group’s second plenary meeting on Thursday 5th September 2024.

The Republic of Kenya, the outgoing Chair, has held the position since January 2020 and has played a key role in coordinating regional and international efforts to combat piracy and safeguard maritime security. This will be the second time that Seychelles leads the Contact Group, having first chaired it in 2009 when it was known as the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).

With the renewed threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia, Seychelles will work with regional and international partners to address this resurgence, alongside tackling other illicit maritime activities such as drug and human trafficking, to ensure the continued safety and security of the Western Indian Ocean.