Maritime security in Africa’s Western Indian Ocean

By Daniela Marggraff

From piracy to illegal fishing, maritime threats in the region demand urgent, coordinated policy action.



The Western Indian Ocean contains a multitude of threats to inhabitants’ maritime security, ranging from climate change and pollution to piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, maritime violence and increasing militarisation. This report emphasises a policymaking approach that addresses issues through a cyclical rather than linear lens, recognising how one threat can lead to the emergence of another.

Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Security Studies, 2025. 24p.