Friday November 28, 2025
MOGADISHU — Somalia has acceded to the Convention on the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), a step the federal government says will upgrade the country’s maritime safety, search-and-rescue capacity and technological integration across its busy coastline.
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Ports and Marine Transport Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nor deposited Somalia’s instrument of accession during a meeting with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on the sidelines of the IMO Assembly’s 34th regular session in London.
Officials said the decision underscores Somalia’s commitment to strengthening maritime security and expanding international cooperation after years of rebuilding its maritime institutions. IMSO membership gives Somalia access to global satellite communications used for maritime safety alerts, distress calls and real-time monitoring of vessels operating in Somali waters.
In the London meeting, Nor and Dominguez discussed how the new partnership can support the modernization of Somalia’s maritime agencies, reinforce legal frameworks governing its coastline and harness satellite-enabled tools to better safeguard the country’s extensive marine resources.
The session was attended by senior Somali officials, including Mogadishu Port General Manager Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nur (Americo) and Somalia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Abdulkadir Abdi Hashi.
Why this matters for Somalia’s seas:
- Safety and rescue: Access to satellite services used by maritime authorities worldwide is expected to improve distress communications and coordination in search-and-rescue operations.
- Vessel visibility: Real-time monitoring will help authorities track ships in Somali waters, strengthening oversight of traffic moving along the coast and through ports.
- Standards and compliance: Accession aligns Somalia more closely with international maritime safety regimes, supporting compliance with global practices across ports, shipping and coastal administration.
- Institutional capacity: The partnership aims to support training, systems integration and modernization across maritime institutions recovering from long-term capacity gaps.
- Resource protection: Enhanced monitoring and stronger governance frameworks can help protect fisheries and other marine resources central to coastal livelihoods.
Somalia’s 3,000-kilometer coastline links the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, placing it along one of the busiest maritime corridors on earth. Officials say integrating satellite-based safety systems and strengthening legal and institutional frameworks are priority steps as the country continues to revitalize port infrastructure and maritime regulation.
The government did not immediately disclose a timeline for full operational integration of IMSO-supported services. Authorities indicated that next steps will involve technical onboarding, training of maritime personnel and alignment of domestic regulations with international standards to ensure reliable distress communication, ship reporting and incident response.
Somalia’s accession comes as the IMO Assembly convenes member states and maritime stakeholders in London for policy and safety deliberations. The high-level setting provided an opportunity, Somali officials said, to anchor the accession in wider efforts to build capacity, expand data-driven oversight of waters under Somali jurisdiction and deepen cooperation with international partners on maritime governance.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
