With economic pressures beginning to impact countries, both East and West, in a major way, it is only to be expected that states with legitimate claims to ocean and sea-based resources would be beginning to focus more sharply at present on subject areas, such as, ocean governance and maritime security opportunities. Fortunately, some Sri Lankan sections have taken cognizance of the topicality of these questions.
The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI), Colombo, for instance, took the initiative to conduct a highly discursive forum on the above topic on May 8. The LKI was partnered in this venture by the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The key issues that were discussed at the widely representative and well attended forum were: (a) Treaty of the High Seas – Bio Diversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement and the Way Forward (b) Regional Security Cooperation on an Open and Rules Based Regional Maritime Architecture and (c) Environmental Protection and Disaster Preparedness.
Opening remarks at the conference were made by Secretary, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardene and ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Denis Chaibi. A special presentation was made by Ms. Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director, Asia and Pacific of the European External Action Service (EEAS), while the keynote address of the conference was delivered by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry P.C.
It ought to be plain to see that the topics discussed are of importance to the world community. Their special importance to countries such as Sri Lanka, that are currently grappling with questions arising from maritime and environmental disasters, cannot be stressed enough. However, equal importance should be attached by these countries to security cooperation, considering the …read more
Source:: The Island
