The three-day program, the first ever of its kind held in Vietnam, gathers senior officers from 16 ReCAAP member countries as well as Malaysia and Indonesia.
Delegates reviewed the issues of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia, shared specific case studies, and discussed ways to improve the maritime safety situation in Asia.
In his opening speech, Major General Bui Trung Dung, Deputy Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, underlined that the meeting offers a good chance for law enforcement forces inside and outside the region to exchange experiences on responding to unexpected incidents and violations.
As the ReCAAP Focal Point in Vietnam, the Vietnam Coast Guard is willing to promptly share accurate information related to security and safety of navigation, especially information on fighting piracy and armed robbery, with the ReCAAP ISC and other ReCAAP Focal Points.
Meanwhile, ReCAAP ISC Executive Director Masafumi Kuroki provided the delegates with updated information on maritime security situations in Asia as well as flash points of piracy and armed robbery.
Since its operation 13 years ago, cooperation mechanisms within the ReCAAP ISC have worked effectively, contributing to considerably reducing the number of cases of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia. Notably, last year saw a recorded decrease with a total of 76 incidents.
At the meeting, Vietnam shared several experiences and solutions to preventing and fighting piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in bettering its laws and regulations in this field, expanding international cooperation, and increasing patrols at sea.
Delegates also discussed measures to improve the efficiency of information sharing in order to successfully deal with maritime security threats in Asia as well as promote coordination among regional law enforcement forces at sea.
Translated by Chung Anh