CRIMARIO was invited to participate in this year’s edition of IONS in La Réunion between 28 June to 1 July 2021 through the French Presidency and as part of the European delegation.

This edition of IONS gathered 25 member countries, eight observer states and eight guest states in person or remotely due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The meetings and panels focused on three topics: maritime security, information sharing and interoperability, and human assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

Team Europe was represented by Vice Admiral José Maria Núñez Torrente, Operation Commander of EU NAVFOR Atalanta; Rear Admiral Ehle, Senior Military Advisor to European External Action Services (EEAS); Benoît Semur, Maritime Security Coordinator at ESIWA; and Martin Cauchi-Inglott, CRIMARIO Team leader, and Isabelle Gachie Vinson, CRIMARIO Communication expert.

RAdm Ehle emphasized that

“EU will further develop the multilateral dimension of its activities in (the Indo-Pacific) maritime security field”

(More on EU Indo-Pacific strategy).

Team Leader Martin Cauchi-Inglott participated in the panel discussion titled “Enhanced interoperability through more effective information sharing” where concrete solutions were presented to enhance maritime communication and coordination in the Indo-Pacific, through the use of the IORIS platform and Share.IT. Panelists included  Col Rosette, Chief of Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) and Cdr Razafindraibe, Director general of RMIFC Madagascar, whilst the session was moderated by Vice Admiral Vaujour, French Navy Staff.

This symposium offered CRIMARIO delegates the opportunity to meet with senior officials from Indian Ocean navies as well as Chiefs of Navy from EU Member States.

The French Navy is taking over the Presidency of IONS from Iran for two years, under the theme of environmental security.

French Navy communique

Indian Navy communique