The Workshop on Cooperation for Maritime Security was held from 21 to 23 March 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This event was co-organized by the Governments of Sri Lanka and Germany (through GIZ) in collaboration with the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law, focusing on the legal foundations of combating maritime crime.

The workshop aimed to sensitize IORA Member States on the critical need to harmonize domestic legislation to effectively combat piracy and other unlawful acts against maritime safety. Legal experts and government officials examined international legal instruments, national implementation challenges, and best practices for drafting and enforcing robust maritime security laws.

The outcome was a detailed Workshop Report that provided legal analyses and recommendations. By focusing on legislative harmonization, the workshop addressed a fundamental enabler of regional security cooperation. It directly supported IORA's MSS priority by working to close legal gaps that impede joint law enforcement actions, thereby strengthening the region's collective ability to uphold a rules-based order at sea and prosecute maritime criminals effectively.