SL poised to become maritime hub
Banquet address by the Chief Guest Mahinda
Samarasinghe MP, Minister for Plantation Industries and Special Envoy of
the President on Human Rights at the Official Banquet, Galle Dialogue
2012 on December 13, 2012
My congratulations are extended to the Sri Lanka Navy and the
Ministry of Defence and Urban Development for continuing with this
valuable initiative for the third consecutive year. This year, during a
conference that has the critical thematic focus – Strategic Maritime
Cooperation and Partnerships to Face the Future with Confidence – you
will be reflecting upon issues that have truly global significance. The
participants in this Dialogue have a unique opportunity to share their
knowledge, perspectives and experience that will benefit all those
interested in this most important area.
 Sri Lanka, as an emerging economy and as a country that is beginning
to enjoy the benefits of domestic tranquility after decades of combating
terrorism, is vitally interested in its maritime security. Situated as
we are in the Indian Ocean, we possess a strategic location that has
been globally recognized for centuries. With the end of the conflict and
the dawn of peace, it is of necessity that the country puts itself back
on the global map, so to speak. Our major interest is in rapidly
transforming our country’s fortunes by exploiting the opportunities that
exist to establish ourselves as a maritime hub.
Our country’s maritime and trading traditions also enable us to host
this gathering of experts and naval strategists from several major
maritime countries as well as those dependent on sea-borne commerce
plying the oceans. I note that the thematic focuses for the three
successive Dialogues are closely interconnected and aim to incrementally
develop upon the theme of the previous year.
Global policy makers
The Indian Ocean itself sees a huge quantum of general trade and
approximately 70 percent of the global energy trade traversing its
waters. Historically the Indian Ocean has been a region noted for the
volume of trade and is an important transit point between the Pacific
and Atlantic Oceans. Given that nearly 80 percent of trade passing
through is extra-regional and the balance intra-regional, safety and
security of the Ocean has implications on a global scale. Further, Asian
economic expansion and burgeoning inter-regional trade between Asia, the
Middle-East and Africa, will mean that the flow of energy resources and
goods is to expected grow – increasing the importance of the Indian
Ocean. Ensuring maritime safety and security assumes far greater
significance in this context.
The significance of the Indian Ocean region for a variety of purposes
and objects has long held the attention of regional and global policy
makers. Maintaining a strategic balance between those interested in this
maritime area is of the highest importance. Whether it is in relation to
transport, promotion of economic interests, geopolitical maneuvering,
resource extraction or projection of national sovereignty, the role of
the oceans has assumed a position of ever increasing magnitude. One of
the main areas of attention in this century will be the broad cluster of
issues pertaining to maritime matters.
It therefore becomes critical to assure the free flow of commerce,
communication and the freedom of navigation by securing and maintaining
maritime security. The increased realization of the importance of
cooperation in this area among countries of the region and other
stakeholders is expected to lead to a shared commitment to ensure
maritime security. No doubt, those of you participating in this Dialogue
will focus your attention on these issues. Free and open commerce,
access to the ‘global commons’ and peaceful resolution of disputes are
among the issues commanding the highest priority. The sharing of
doctrinal and operational knowhow and the enhancement of maritime domain
awareness (MDA) are key facets of this interchange of ideas, experience
and expertise.
Financial resources
Due to the global economic crisis, financial resources are scarce and
allocation for maritime security may be adversely impacted. It is
through greater consultation and coordination, pooling of resources and
their strategic deployment that optimal effectiveness can be achieved.
Developing synergies among stakeholders and collective action could
offset any resource constraints that affect individual nations.
To be continued |
