Small islands' understanding of maritime security: The cases of Mauritius and Seychelles

The inclusion of a Sustainable Development Goal (No. 14) on the oceans by the United Nations (UN) provides formal and global recognition that the effective management of the blue economy is a key component of global development efforts. For island states, the importance of the maritime domain is unquestionable with many having responsibility for, and access to, vast areas of ocean. In the Indian Ocean region, island states have increasingly recognized this situation by placing greater emphasis on ocean policy and the opportunities the maritime domain offers. However, island states inevitably face challenges as their smaller size often means they lack the capacity to enhance their maritime domain awareness and effectively respond to insecurity. This paper seeks to shed further light on the maritime security considerations–their characteristics and influencing factors–of island states in the Indian Ocean. The paper contains a content analysis of key documents to examine the way in which maritime security challenges have been publicly communicated by island states in the region. It then utilizes additional documents and interview material to elaborate the way in which two specific states–Mauritius and Seychelles–have approached their maritime security in maritime piracy for Seychelles and drug trafficking in Mauritius. In doing this, the paper provides valuable insights into the way in which policy-makers in Indian Ocean island states understand the sustainable development–maritime security relationship.