Before sunrise, Somalia’s coastline is already in motion. Fishing boats push away from shore in search of the day’s catch, cargo vessels hold steady courses through international shipping lanes, and maritime officers prepare for patrols that place them at the intersection of trade, security, and the law. Along this 3,300-kilometre coastline, every movement at sea carries weight. In these early hours, questions of boarding authority, jurisdiction, and evidence handling are not theoretical; they determine whether maritime crimes are prevented and whether justice can be upheld long after vessels return to port.
What unfolded through a series of training sessions was not an abstract legal discussion, but a carefully designed learning programme focused on the practical application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Delivered by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) though its Global Maritime Crime Programme , with support from the Government of Japan under the project “Establishing Regional Training Capacity for Maritime Security for the Horn of Africa,” the programme translated international maritime law into operational decision-making. Grounded in Somalia’s maritime context, the training examined how UNCLOS law applies to boarding operations, evidence handling, and jurisdictional issues
©UNODC. Ring-tailed lemur at arrival at Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo
It is with this reality in mind that legal practitioners, maritime officers, and law enforcement officials took part in the training programme in Mogadishu to strengthen their understanding of how international maritime law governs Somalia’s maritime space. Participants represented institutions central to maritime governance and justice, including the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Finance, Customs Department, the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Mogadishu Ports Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Somali Police Force Department of Coast Guard. Their presence reflected a shared recognition that effective maritime governance depends on coordinated action across institutions.
From the outset, the programme reflected the interconnected nature of maritime work. Actions taken by one agency at sea often determine whether another can act effectively on land. The training created space for these connections to be examined openly, reinforcing the importance of a whole-of-government approach to maritime governance. Somalia’s relationship with the sea has long been anchored in international law. As an early State Party to UNCLOS, the country committed decades ago to a legal framework that continues to shape maritime security today. Participants examined how international obligations surface in real operational moments, when an officer must decide where jurisdiction begins, how authority is exercised, and whether an action taken at sea can be defended in court.
Sessions shifted fluidly between courtroom considerations and on-the-water decision-making. Participants examined legal regimes governing piracy, maritime jurisdiction, and regional and international cooperation, alongside Somalia’s domestic legal framework and gaps affecting maritime crime prosecutions. Operational discussions highlighted a shared reality. Evidence collected at sea must withstand legal scrutiny ashore, and a single decision taken during a boarding can determine whether a case proceeds or collapses. Participants reflected on moments familiar to many in the room. A vessel intercepted just beyond territorial waters, unclear documentation, evidence collected under pressure, and the question of whether the boarding authority is sufficient to proceed. In such moments, there is little time for uncertainty. The training underscored how a clear understanding of UNCLOS enables officers to act decisively, ensuring that operational actions taken on the water remain legally sound.
In many of these moments, the Somali Police Force Department of Coast Guard is the first point of contact. From its communications room, officers receive alerts, monitor vessel movements, and coordinate responses across maritime agencies, while patrol teams are deployed at sea to verify information, conduct interceptions, and maintain a visible presence along Somalia’s coastline. Acting as the operational hub at sea, the Coast Guard conducts initial assessments, relays information to customs, port authorities, and other law enforcement counterparts, and determines whether a situation requires interception, inspection, or escalation. As one Coast Guard officer explained, ‘’understanding UNCLOS is fundamental to this role. Operating on the front line of maritime law enforcement requires protecting maritime boundaries, preventing crimes at sea, managing marine resources, and safeguarding the marine environment, all of which are guided by the legal authority provided under UNCLOS’’. These first communications, patrol actions, and decisions often shape the entire response, influencing how authority is exercised and how information and evidence are preserved from the outset.
To ground this understanding in practice, participants also visited the Coast Guard base, where they received a guided tour and a live demonstration of operations in the communications room. During the visit, officers explained how information is received, verified, and shared in real time, from initial alerts and vessel tracking to coordination with port authorities, customs, and law enforcement partners. Observing these processes firsthand allowed participants to see how legal authority, operational judgment, and communication intersect at the earliest stage of maritime response, reinforcing the importance of clear procedures and lawful decision-making from the first point of contact.
For frontline practitioners, the relevance was immediate. A representative from the Customs Department reflected on the complexity of maritime cases, which frequently cross borders and jurisdictions. In those situations, the participant noted, understanding international law provides clarity when authority is tested and supports effective coordination with partner agencies during joint enforcement operations.
©UNODC. Ring-tailed lemur at arrival at Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo
For officers from the Somali Police Force Department of Coast Guard, the link between law and operations is constant. Every patrol, interception, and environmental response is guided by legal authority derived from UNCLOS. Applying this framework correctly strengthens confidence at sea, reinforces professional conduct, and ensures that enforcement actions contribute to national maritime security and regional stability.
The programme also highlighted how maritime law extends beyond security alone. A participant from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change described how the training clarified the legal basis for environmental protection at sea. Shortly after the training activities, the participant shared this knowledge internally and applied it during a beach cleanup at Liido Beach, translating legal principles into visible action that supports marine conservation and public awareness.
As the programme progressed, attention turned toward coordination and sustainability. Participants examined how institutions can improve communication, strengthen information sharing, and align legislative development with operational needs. These discussions identified practical steps that can support cooperation long after the training activities conclude.
©UNODC. Ring-tailed lemur at arrival at Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo
Reflecting on the programme, the UNODC legal officer who facilitated the training emphasised that international maritime law becomes meaningful only when applied consistently. By working through realistic scenarios, participants examined how actions taken at sea, from jurisdiction and evidence handling to interagency cooperation, must be grounded in apparent legal authority if they are to withstand scrutiny throughout the justice process. Strengthening this link between law, operations, and prosecution remains central to effective maritime governance.
As maritime threats continue to evolve, Somalia’s ability to respond depends not only on its assets and personnel but also on its legal readiness. The outcomes that matter most are often shaped far from courtrooms, on open water, under pressure, and with lasting consequences. By strengthening legal understanding across institutions, the programme helps ensure that when officers set out to sea, they do so with clarity, confidence, and authority grounded in law. In this way, the rule of law extends beyond the shoreline, shaping how Somalia safeguards its maritime space, where law meets the sea.
