Oman

Collaborative approach must to ensure sea security

 
A maritime nation, the Sultanate of Oman’s history and trade are interlinked with the Indian Ocean. The land enjoys natural harbours such as Suhar, from where Oman traders went south of China.

The IISS Shangri La Dialogue on Defense Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region held from June 2 to 4 in Singapore heard different viewpoints on maintaining security and the pressing challenges. Oman focused on security across the Indian Ocean.

Expressing the Sultanate of Oman’s perspective, Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy said the Indian Ocean security depends on a collaborative approach.

He said the basis of maritime security is the combination of operational security and the rule of law.

Looking at the rule of law, the foreign minister said, “The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, is just the latest example of humankind drawing up guiding principles of how to behave at sea. Such attempts began over a thousand years ago in Byzantium, focusing on cargo theft, ship damage, and sailor remuneration.”

He noted that several hundred years later, in the 17th century, the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius developed a body of work that some regard as the foundation for UNCLOS. And today, signatories to UNCLOS number 182 countries.

He pointed out that the effectiveness of any law relies on the respect and cooperation of all parties to abide by it and police it. And the rule of law is not optional. It is the key ingredient to maritime security. Trade and prosperity depend on it.

He highlighted the importance of freedom of navigation by saying trade and prosperity depend on maintaining freedom of navigation within an effective network of operational security: the practical resources that maintain peace at sea. Solving our collective maritime problems means emphasising operational security and, in particular, combining our skills, resources, and efforts in a collaborative manner.

He touched upon an important element of security — piracy. “Let us take the example of piracy, a problem which has faced governments and coastal communities for as long as we have gone to sea and still persists in the western Indian Ocean today. The solution has always been for navies to police the sea. Few states, if any, can conduct effective ocean-wide policing without the cooperation of other navies. The lesson is that partnership is essential for operational security,” he said.

To demonstrate this, the example he chose was the Omani port of Duqm. “Duqm’s location, at the northwest corner of the Indian Ocean, perfectly positioned for shipping lanes, will grow into a vital trade hub. The port city will be a meeting point of east, west, north, and south. At its core, Duqm is an open port. Oman’s fundamental values of good neighbourliness, openness, and outward focused pragmatism, which underly all the endeavours, are reflected in Duqm.

“It is our firm belief that the more we share openly, the better equipped we are to work together peacefully and effectively. This applies to global politics, maritime security, and the international shipping community. We believe that, by welcoming all in Duqm, we pave the way for stronger peace and security in shipping, and hence in the wider ocean environment,” he reflected.

He emphasised that a partnership-based approach at sea builds trust and stability. “It is a policy to which we are wholly committed. And, for it to be successful, we rely on the commitment of our partners as well,” he said.

@lakshmioman