Yesterday saw the launch of a capacity-building programme designed to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia (Wednesday).
The programme aims to build capacity, enhance information sharing and strengthen cooperation among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) enforcement authorities.
Senior level personnel – with 10-15 years’ maritime enforcement experience – from ASEAN are currently participating in a ten-day training event in Singapore and Japan that ends on October 6.
Training will focus on trends and development, best practices, international laws and regulations, and emerging maritime threats. It will also include field visits to key maritime facilities.
“Incidences of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia have been on the decline in recent years,” said executive director of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC), Masafumi Kuroki. “Much of this is the result of enhanced information sharing and more effective enforcement by coastal states.”
“Through the Capacity Building Executive Programme we want to build on this momentum to enhance capability, augment information sharing and strengthen regional cooperation as we collectively work towards making seas in Asia safer and more secure for all,” he added.
The programme is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and ReCAAP ISC.
“We believe it is a very timely initiative considering the fact that increasing transnational criminal activities - including abduction in the Sulu-Celebes Sea - pose a threat to the ASEAN,” said deputy assistant minister, Foreign Policy Bureau, MOFA Japan and Japanese governor to the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council, ambassador Toshiro Iijima.
