DUT, in partnership with the Australian High Commission hosted a seminar this week aimed at addressing challenges and strengthening maritime security co-operation in the Indian Ocean Region.

Titled: Strengthening maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, the seminar was held at the DUT Hotel School Conference Centre, Ritson Campus. Last year (2013), Australia was granted chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and is currently hard at work looking at ways to tackle challenges such as sea piracy and other maritime issues pertaining to the Indian Ocean in the 21st century.

In attendance at the seminar were speakers: Vice Admiral Johannes Mudimu (Retired Chief of the South African Navy and current Chairperson of Armscor), Ambassador Anil Sooklal (Deputy Director-General: Asia and Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation), Leon Govender (Head of Department of Maritime Studies, DUT), Graeme Wilson (Australia’s High Commissioner to South Africa), Saeeda Verrall (Programme Officer; Maritime Crime Programme, Indian Ocean Division Mauritius: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and Boetse Ramahlo (Executive Head: Office of the CEO, South African Maritime Safety Authority).

The key speaker, V Adm Mudimu spoke the role played by the Indian Ocean Region in geopolitics and international relations. He also pointed out the value in looking at the Indian Ocean as a region for future analysis of maritime regimes so that international maritime regimes can expand regional co-operation in the Indian Ocean.

“The interlocking history of the Indian Ocean Region is best summarised by our areas of commonality in terms of architecture, food and extensive use of English and Portuguese in the conduct of their business affairs. Accordingly, the affairs of the region remain of common interest to us all and our actions in response to the challenges we face must similarly reflect this common history. Whereas before we were connected by the unfortunate history over which we had no control, we now have the power to author a new chapter in the Indian Ocean Region, a chapter that is characterised by mutual co-operation and assistance, joint development of trading platforms and the real pressing need to ensure the safety and security of our people,” said V Adm Madimu.

He said the Indian Ocean faces a traditional threat of the invasion of Indian Ocean States, particularly in the continent, by some super power with colonial ambitions which is not considered to be a real one in the foreseeable future.

“On the contrary, many of the challenges faced by the Indian Ocean States are non-traditional and asymmetrical. These challenges emanate from nature, adverse human interactions within communities and the effects of climate change to state a few,” he said.

Explaining the challenge of piracy in the Indian Ocean Region, Verrall said “Rates of piracy attacks in the Indian Ocean are now at the lowest in five years. This is due, in large part, to the concerted and coordinated response from states, military forces, international and regional organisations, and other stakeholders, from the strategic level through to the operational level.” However, she stressed the need for all stakeholders to remain vigilant in the fight against piracy, noting that the root causes of piracy off the Horn of Africa still existed. “Like all forms of maritime crime, repressing the crime at sea is vitally important, but preventing the crime requires addressing its root causes, on land. Strengthening domestic criminal justice mechanisms, building law enforcement capacity and promoting the rule of law within a country are integral to preventing and combating crime at sea” she said.

Wilson said challenges facing the Indian Ocean Region needed to be resolved through a multilateral mechanism; which would bring together all parties, both those who are directly impacted and those who wish to share the load in safeguarding the global commons. “International economic activity depends upon the free and uninterrupted flow of commerce across the world’s oceans, and the maritime domain is the most urgent in terms of addressing, given the volume of work and dependency countries have in transporting by sea; so initiatives at sea need to be complemented by those on land by way of legislation and stabilising of all regions within the Indian Ocean Region,” he said.

The general consensus was that outcomes discussed at the seminar needed to be monitored and achieved in time and on time with the various role players in the maritime security domain.

– Noxolo Memela

Pictured: Claude Morel (Seychelles), Federal Agent Tina Westra (Australian Federal Police) and Saeeda Verrall (Programme Officer at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime).