Southeast Asia has had some success with functional cooperative mechanisms, for example, in the practical management of safety and security in regional waters. The Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP), which has been in place in 2008, brings together the four littoral states - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand - in a coordinated effort to safeguard one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.
The Trilateral Cooperative Agreement, modelled after MSP, was initiated by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines in 2017 to manage the scourge of maritime crime in the Sulu and Celebes Sea.
Such pragmatic arrangements are increasingly central to the practice of international cooperation. Many of today’s new and emerging challenges transcend geographical regions and do not fit nicely within existing institutions and rules.
Fittingly, a notable latest example of this form of cooperation was launched at this year’s SLD by Singapore’s Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing and 16 of his counterparts: the “Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges” (GUIDE) framework.
The initiative itself emerged from conversations at last year’s dialogue, according to Mr Chan.
The importance of submarine communication cables, energy cables and oil and gas pipelines is well known. They criss-cross the world as lifelines to critical services on land such as power, communication and financial services.
Yet, because most of this critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) lie outside of countries’ territorial waters, the responsibility for their protection is unclear and the legal tools to enforce rules and prosecute wrongdoing are limited.
Continue reading...
The Trilateral Cooperative Agreement, modelled after MSP, was initiated by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines in 2017 to manage the scourge of maritime crime in the Sulu and Celebes Sea.
Such pragmatic arrangements are increasingly central to the practice of international cooperation. Many of today’s new and emerging challenges transcend geographical regions and do not fit nicely within existing institutions and rules.
SHARED VULNERABILITIES DRIVE COOPERATION
Fittingly, a notable latest example of this form of cooperation was launched at this year’s SLD by Singapore’s Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing and 16 of his counterparts: the “Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges” (GUIDE) framework.
The initiative itself emerged from conversations at last year’s dialogue, according to Mr Chan.
The importance of submarine communication cables, energy cables and oil and gas pipelines is well known. They criss-cross the world as lifelines to critical services on land such as power, communication and financial services.
Yet, because most of this critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) lie outside of countries’ territorial waters, the responsibility for their protection is unclear and the legal tools to enforce rules and prosecute wrongdoing are limited.
Continue reading...