Sri Lanka: Enhancing Maritime Security through Improved Domain Awareness
In September and October 2023, Sri Lanka hosted a comprehensive program aimed at advancing maritime domain awareness, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The initiative was designed to assess the maritime capabilities of various governmental agencies, particularly focusing on the Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard, which emerged as the primary entities responsible for ensuring maritime security. Other agencies, such as Customs and Immigration, primarily concentrated on border management, while the Department of Fisheries monitored fishing activities.
To build national capacities in maritime awareness, UNODC organized a structured training program from September 18 to 28, 2023. This program encompassed fundamental to intermediate levels of training and included participants from key agencies, such as the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Navy, and the Coast Guard. The training covered essential topics related to monitoring, tracking, and analyzing maritime traffic, while also incorporating advanced technologies like RADAR, AIS, and satellite imagery, equipping participants with the skills needed for effective maritime monitoring.
The Navy’s Information Fusion Centre in Colombo actively engaged UNODC to improve their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), aiming to enhance cooperation among national agencies. This collaboration laid the groundwork for a subsequent interagency workshop in October, which brought together 13 representatives from seven different maritime law enforcement agencies, including the Port Authorities, Customs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop facilitated extensive discussions on timely responses, challenges to interagency coordination, and maritime law, focusing on improving collaborative efforts and overcoming barriers to effective interagency work.
The insights gained from these assessments and trainings will guide UNODC’s future training initiatives in Sri Lanka’s maritime domain awareness. As the country diligently works to strengthen its maritime security capacities, effective interagency cooperation remains pivotal to safeguarding its maritime interests. This ongoing effort is critical as Sri Lanka seeks to navigate and secure its maritime domain amid increasing challenges.
The success of this initiative owes much to the generous support from the Government of Japan, reinforcing commitments towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14 (Life Below Water) and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The collaborative frameworks established through these efforts represent a significant stride in the journey towards a safer and more secure maritime environment for Sri Lanka.
