CDS INAUGURATES 15TH HACGAM HIGH LEVEL MEETING

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne graced the inauguration Ceremony of the High Level Meeting (HLM) of the15th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) held today (on 08th October 2019) at Galle Face Hotel, Colombo as the Chief Guest. Additional Secretary (Defence) Mr. Anuradha Wijekoon and the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Nishantha Ulugethanne were also present as the guests of honour. HACGAM is an international forum consisting of all major coast guard agencies in the Asian region. This vital forum was an initiative by Japan in 2004,which focuses on maritime related issues including search and rescue, environmental protection, preventing and controlling unlawful acts at sea, and capacity building. The HACGAM is an annual event conducted with the participation of its 22 member states; Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Philippine, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, along with its associate member, ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) and three observers; Bali Process, France and UNODC.

Following is the full text of the speech delivered by CDS as the Chief Guest.

Let me extend a very warm welcome to all distinguished guests and the foreign participants of friendly countries representing their respective Coast Guards and Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies.

I would also like to congratulate the Sri Lanka Coast Guard for organizing the High Level Meeting of the 15th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Meeting here in Colombo and the first HACGAM organized by our Coast Guard. I am sure that this event will have a important place in Sri Lanka Coast Guard history as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As a former Coast Guard Director General for two years and attending the 9th HACGAM in Pattaya Thailand in 2103, I do know the value and significance of this gathering. This unique meeting is one of the very initiatives of Japan in 2004 that continues to progress taking into account a number of important maritime concerns that the Coast Guards continue to face almost on a daily basis. This gathering is the place where the sound strategies are formulated based on stronger policies. Since the very inception, HACGAM has done a great deal of work to make our marine environment a more secure and safer place.

I thank the HACGAM leadership and all the members for making this unique framework a strong and a very active entity that is capable of addressing present and future issues through cooperation and collaboration.

Unlike in the past, we see the importance of Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies like never before in the history. The navies in most cases encounter visible enemies. But, in your case, you do not see a visible enemy. Larger percentage of threats and challenges that are present in the maritime domain does not come from a visible enemy. This makes the task of Coast Guards around the world quite challenging. This is exactly why we need to pay our focus and serious attention to the key pillars of HACGAM. All members therefore have to play a key role in achieving our strategic objectives if we are to ensure safety and security of our maritime environment. Like all the members represented here, Sri Lanka too has been quite active in supporting a number of such initiatives in the Indian Ocean.

Our strategic location in the Indian Ocean has been well recognized since the ancient times. Being one of the attractive destinations and important trade centres not only in the ancient maritime Silk Route but also during the period, 'age of European explorations ', possesses with greater maritime history. Our relation with regional counterparts over maritime affairs dates back to centuries. If you take a closer look at our backyard, you will be able to see the enormous Indian Ocean expanding all the way to the south. For us, it is not our backyard, but it is our front yard. The Indian Ocean is our destiny and last frontier.

Apart from a number of strategic advantages, we are also vested with a number of responsibilities. What our Coast Guard and the navy can do in our waters will make a huge impact on the entire global maritime energy and trade transportation. Failure to ensure the continuity of SLOCs could easily send shock waves across the wider Indo-Pacific. This is exactly why each and every member here is unique and important. We all have the ability to shape and influence maritime affairs in the Indian Ocean as well in the broader Indo-Pacific.

As all of you are quite aware, the Asian region is fast becoming the center of gravity in world affairs. In par with, sea lanes off Asian region extended across Indian and Western Pacific oceans, Sri Lanka is grabbing the attention of world being much needed logistic facilitator. Many nation states not only within the rim of it, but also all those who are connected through global value chains depend on these sea lines of communication for commerce, energy sources, explorations and maritime transportation.\r\nIn this Asian century, the maritime domain and its affairs have become crucial factors that have the ability to decide and influence present as well as future global affairs to a greater extent.

The maritime challenges from increasingly dynamic, irregular, networked and unorthodox elements could disturb the security and safety of our maritime domain if not properly dealt with. The emergence of non-traditional threats in the region, such as piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal trafficking, IUU fishing and environmental degradation are major concerns in the Indo-Pacific region.

Due to the vastness and complexity, no nation is capable of facing challenges and countering threats in the maritime domain, in isolation. Together we can work to ensure the oceans and seas around us are free for all from threats and challenges.

Thus, the opportunities and challenges that exist in our maritime domain need to be addressed with strength, wisdom and goodwill. Our actions demand greater collaboration, mutual understanding, and partnership. The importance of fostering stronger partnerships among the maritime community holds a great deal of significance than never before.\r\nLike many other initiatives that are in place, the Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation Agreement among India, Maldives and Sri Lanka is a great platform that could be used effectively to strengthen core values among regional players. Two Indian Ocean island nations, Seychelles and Mauritius also can join.

I am hopeful that we could recommence the NSA level meeting in order to address some of the important security developments that have taken place in the recent past.

The regional forums like HACGAM therefore can play a major role in facilitating a platform for the much needed discussion and medium to form strong bonds and partnerships, to address common maritime security threats and challenges. \r\n\r\nI am confident that this high level gathering during the next few days will be able to layout a sound strategy that could find Ways and Means in achieving strategic Ends.\" \r\n