A five-day Workshop on “Comparative Study on the Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in IORA Member States” and the Regional Maritime Dialogue on “Law Enforcement” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka with the support of the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) commenced on Monday, 30th October and ended on 03rd November 2023 at the Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka.
Representatives from IORA Member States including Australia, Bangladesh, France/Reunion, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and Yemen participated in this in-person interactive event.
The workshop aimed to provide an insightful analysis on IORA Member States to identify gaps between their domestic legislation and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This workshop presented the main findings of the Study of gap analysis while providing space for open dialogue and discussion. Expert resource persons from the Max Planck Foundation, UNODC, the Sri Lanka Navy and the Attorney General’s Department shared their insights to enhance the effectiveness of the event.
The Maritime Dialogue aimed to address the challenges and opportunities in preventing and tackling drug trafficking along the Southern Route and to identify strategies and solutions for combating drug trafficking and transnational organized crime at sea. The Maritime Dialogue comprised tabletop exercises and simulations to share information on maritime security in order to strengthen the cooperation among the law enforcement agencies of the Member States.
This event was expected to enhance capacity, foster an understanding of maritime threats and challenges, and facilitating the exchange of experiences among Member States that are essential for effectively addressing the challenges we currently face. This interactive event also provided a platform to establish a cohesive approach towards our collective goal of ensuring the safety and security of the Indian Ocean region.
Deputy Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department, Ms. Ganga Wakishta Arachchi, Commanding Officer of SLNS Parakramabahu, Sri Lanka Navy, Captain (C) H. R. D De Zoysa, and Consultant, UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme, Rear Admiral (Retd) Y. N. Jayarathna shared their expertise with the delegates from the IORA Member States. Senior Research Fellow, Max Planck Foundation, Arron N. Honniball, Programme Support Officer and Research Fellow, Max Planck Foundation, Ms. Pham Ngoc Minh Trang, Legal Officer, UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme, Ms. Pooja Bissoonauthsing were the international speakers of the event.
