On the Occasion of the Completion ceremony of the VBSS Training Program in Trincomalee

Rear Admiral DNS Ulugetenne, Chief of Staff, the Sri Lankan Navy,
Ms. Kato Miwa, the Director of Global Operations, UNODC,
Mr. Alan Cole, Head of Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC,
Your Excellencies Ambassadors of Thailand and Vietnam and High Commissioner of Malaysia,
Commander TGT Daminda, Speed Boat Squadron,
Distinguished Officers and Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Good morning.
 
It gives me a great pleasure to be here in Trincomalee once again to commemorate the completion of the VBSS training program this morning. First and foremost, I wish to express my heartfelt congratulations to the officers from participating countries for successfully completing the training course, while extending my sincere appreciation to the instructors from the Sri Lankan Navy and the UNODC for conducting the program most efficiently.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
I recall my first visit to Trincomalee a year ago, shortly after my arrival in Sri Lanka, for the same purpose of attending the VBSS completion ceremony. On that occasion, I stated that “Trincomalee is rich in historical significance and high in tourism potentiality, which showcases both the past and the future of this island nation”. My strengthened observation of Sri Lanka as crucially important maritime nation, as well as my revisit to this “finest harbour in the world” has further bolstered such view, and has deepened my understanding as to why Trincomalee has been selected as the site of the VBSS training program.
 
On behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to stress that it is our great pleasure and honor to support the UNODC’s VBSS training program. This program provides maritime law enforcement officers in the Indo-Pacific region with precious opportunities to receive training for the VBSS procedures, using actual dhow boats captured by the Sri Lankan Navy. In addition, through this intensive program, comradeship among law enforcement officers in the region is developed. We believe that this program contributes a great deal to the maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, which is vital to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,.
 
While commending the dedication of the GMCP team headed by Mr. Alan Cole in launching and running this innovative training program, with generous support from the Sri Lankan Navy, I wish to take this opportunity to express our great pleasure of having Mr. YAMAGUCHI Masatomo, a Japanese national, who has just joined the GMCP as a Programme Officer. With Ms. KATO Miwa overseeing the program from the headquarters, I am certain that our cooperation will only grow steadily in the years to come, as we pursue the shared goal of freedom of navigation and the rule of law, which are the bedrock of affluence and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific Region. Both national and coordinated international efforts are essential in addressing the transnational crimes at sea, and a common vision stretching beyond the border is required to carry out collective operations successfully. The VBSS training course, without doubt, provides effective and practical answers to these compelling challenges.
 
In conclusion, I would like to once again express my heartfelt congratulations to all the participants, and a note of sincere appreciation to the organizers, both the Sri Lankan Navy and the UNODC, for conducting the VBSS training program successfully.
 
Thank you very much.