ASEAN Sec-gen Calls For Enhanced Maritime Cooperation

JAKARTA, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn has stressed the urgent need for regional cooperation in addressing major maritime challenges facing Southeast Asia, including rising geopolitical tensions and environmental threats.

In his pre-recorded address at the 8th Jakarta Geopolitical Forum, he emphasised that enhancing dialogue and trust, committing to international law, and coordinating action are essential for the region’s effective response to these shared challenges.

“We must stand firm in our dedication to fostering dialogue, cooperation, and the peaceful resolution of disputes to ensure that our waters serve as a source of peace and prosperity rather than a breeding ground for insecurity, competition, confrontation, and conflict,” he said.

bootstrap slideshow

The three-day forum, which concludes on Thursday, is hosted by Indonesia’s National Resilience Institute under the theme ‘Addressing Geo-Maritime Resilience Challenges in the Indo-Pacific’.

Kao highlighted ASEAN’s commitment to peacefully resolving disputes under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which he described as a cornerstone of the region’s stability.

He also stressed the importance of recognising that many maritime challenges, such as environmental degradation, transnational maritime crime, as well as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, transcend national boundaries.

“Coordinated action on these fronts is not only desirable but imperative,” he said, referring to the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris.

“Combating marine plastic pollution requires both robust national efforts and regional cooperation, as marine debris moves freely across borders.”

Addressing IUU fishing and maritime piracy, he said it requires joint civilian and enforcement efforts across jurisdictions.

“ASEAN’s whole-of-community approach ensures that these shared challenges are tackled collectively, with the active participation of all relevant member states, stakeholders, and external partners,” Kao added.

Southeast Asia is a strategically important maritime region where economic growth, environmental sustainability, and security intersect.

With 66 per cent of its territory covered by maritime waters, it acts as a crucial link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, housing essential sea lanes for global trade.

The region is rich in biodiversity and sustains a thriving maritime economy that includes international shipping, tourism, hydrocarbons, and fisheries.

-- BERNAMA