5th Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue opens tomorrow in Colombo

Monday, 19 May 2025 02:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Bay of Bengal region is one of the most densely populated regions in the world featuring some of the world’s fastest growing economies. The region is the meeting point of South and Southeast Asia and was once at the heart of global history. Today, one fourth of the world’s traded goods cross through the Bay of Bengal annually and the region possesses rich untapped natural resources. The Bay of Bengal is increasingly becoming a theatre of geopolitical interests and tension given its great economic potential and faces a variety of maritime security challenges. Considering the increasing geopolitical interests and the cross-border nature of maritime security challenges, there is a clear incentive and scope for further regional cooperation.

To foster meaningful discussion on maritime affairs in the Bay of Bengal and unlock opportunities for deeper regional cooperation, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and the Pathfinder Foundation co-host the annual Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue. The previous four editions of the Dialogue (2021-2024) laid the groundwork for policy recommendations across a range of issues including discussions around crisis communication and Guiding Principles for Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies (MLEAs) in the Bay of Bengal, as well as the establishment of the BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network (BIMReN).

The Fifth Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue aims to identify new avenues for cooperation while minimising potential bottlenecks for constructive engagement among the littoral states. With the growing prominence of BIMSTEC in regional affairs, the dialogue seeks to amplify regional collaboration by deepening engagement with key regional organisations. Main priorities include driving robust regional maritime governance; strengthening maritime communications and crisis management; advancing joint marine research in the Bay of Bengal; and enhancing regional efforts to combat cross-border illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Furthermore, the dialogue seeks to promote inclusive policymaking in regional maritime governance. The outcomes of the dialogue will be made available to the BIMSTEC Secretariat as well as its Member States. (Panel discussions during the Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue adhere to Chatham House Rules.)

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