On the occasion of Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference Meeting of the International Advisory Group

Mr. Milinda Moragoda, Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation,
Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman, Pathfinder Foundation,
Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, Chairman of the International Advisory Group,
Honourable Secretaries
Your Excellency Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Distinguished participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning.
 
It gives me great pleasure to say a few words on the opening of this important meeting today. First and foremost, let me begin by extending my heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Milinda Moragoda, Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, and his team, led by Ambassador Goonetilleke and Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Director of the Centre for Indo-Lanka Initiatives and Law of the Sea, for taking great initiative in materializing this exceptional event, with gems of wisdom assembled from different parts of the world to discuss the Indian Ocean Security, which is gaining greater attention in the world today. We are extremely pleased to be a partner of Pathfinder Foundation once again after fruitful discussions at “Trincomalee Conference” for the last two years, and, on behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the distinguished participants for making this event resourceful through active engagement and valuable contribution.      
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
On August 22, 2007, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during his maiden prime ministerial visit to India, delivered a speech in the Central Hall of the Indian Parliament. Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, who is present here today as the Chairman of the International Advisory Group, was the then Secretary of Indian Foreign Service, and may as well recall this historic speech with renewed significance. The speech was entitled “Confluence of the Two Seas”, inspired by the book under the same name authored by the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh in 1665.
 
The two seas mentioned here, needless to say, refer to the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, while Prime Minister Abe went further to elaborate that both seas are now bringing about a dynamic coupling as seas of “freedom” and of “prosperity”, and emphasized the importance of ensuring that these seas become “seas of clearest transparency”. After more than a decade since the speech was made, these words have gained compelling relevance in the present context, standing like a steadfast beacon in the middle of uncharted nautical road.
 
Distinguished participants,
 
The vision of “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, “FOIP” in short, which is announced by Prime Minister Abe in August 2016, has its roots firmly embedded in the afore-mentioned speech, and is an inclusive concept to all countries that support its basic principles. Located at the heart of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has been playing a prominent role in promoting peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and is an important partner to promote the vision of FOIP. In view of this, it is all the more significant to hold “Indian Ocean Security Conference” in this island nation. Again I commend the Pathfinder Foundation’s initiative based on deep insight into the current strategic environment, and expect that today’s meeting will lay a good ground work for the conference to be convened next year.           
 
With an observation that the key to stability and prosperity of the international community depends largely on the dynamism created by the synergy between the “two continents”, that is, rapidly growing Asia and Africa with huge growth potential, as well as “two free open seas”, namely the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, FOIP envisages the following 3 principles:
(1) promotion and establishment of the rule of law and freedom of navigation;
(2) pursuit of economic prosperity by improving connectivity and value chains through “quality infrastructure” development in accordance with international standards, with particular emphasis on (i) open access, (ii) transparency, (iii) economic efficiency including life-cycle cost, and (iv) financial viability of recipient countries; and,
(3) commitment to peace and security, for example, by assisting capacity building on maritime law enforcement and strengthening cooperation for anti-piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and non-proliferation. 
In the area of maritime safety and security, which is of more relevance to today’s agenda, Japan has been extending assistance to Sri Lanka by, (a)granting two new patrol vessels to Sri Lankan Coast Guard,  (b)extending advisory services for improving oil spill management to Sri Lankan Coast Guard, and (c)supporting VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) Training Courses that have been jointly organized by Sri Lankan Navy and UNODC since 2017 in Trincomalee, among others.of oil spill incident management training programme conducted under the project providing advisory services for improving oil spill management capabilities of Sri Lanka Coast Guard.
This was conducted under the Japanese grant aid and as a collaborative training between Japanese Coast Guard and the Sri Lankan Coast Guard under the Maritime Disaster Measure and Marine Environment Protection project. Under its sub component, advisory services for improving oil spill management capabilities of Sri Lanka Coast Guard comprised of three activities. Basic training for oil spill incident in the coastal sea areas was conducted successfully with 30m –class patrol vessels provided by Japan 2018 and equipment on the vessels. Under this project Japan Coast Guard has provided short term experts on oil spill, equipment for oil spill combat training and necessary cost for dispatch and activities of short term experts. After the training Sri Lankan Coast Guard personnel will be able to combat oil spill incidents in the coastal sea area and protect marine and coastal environment from pollution.
The closing ceremony of its first activity was marked on 15th February at the Colombo Port at the presence of Mr. SONOURA and other distinguish guests representing Government of Japan, Japanese Coast Guard and Sri Lankan Coast Guard. Government of Japan hopes these initiatives will further consolidate the “Japan-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Partnership” in the areas such as maritime security and development cooperation including realization of free and open Indo-Pacific.
Distinguished participants,
 
In the face of mounting challenges, both traditional and non-traditional, such as piracy, terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, natural disasters and illegal operation including drug smuggling, human trafficking and IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, it is imperative to respond to such massive challenges through enhanced coordination of the international community, with the view to maintaining the Indian Ocean, as well as the Pacific, as the “Global Commons” or “international public goods” for all. As I stand before the prominent opinion leaders gathered to reach common goals here today, I am more convinced than ever that confidence building through closer exchanges of new ideas is becoming increasingly important to “find the path”, as the very name of the Foundation suggests, that goes beyond the traditional perception of “zero-sum game” to create a situation that benefits us all. I am certain that today’s discussion will be instrumental in finding such “a way forward” through active and intensive interaction among the distinguished participants.       
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Before closing, I wish to renew my heartfelt invitation to all the participants at my official residence this evening to commemorate the successful completion of the conference, as well as to neutralize the “hot discussion” that might  occasionally take place in the course of daytime’s sessions. Please join us and enjoy the casual networking over savory food and drinks. 
 
On this note and my sincere appreciation to Pathfinder Foundation once again for organizing this iconic conference in a timely manner, I would like to conclude my opening remarks.
 
Thank you very much for your kind attention.