IMO maritime security and counter-terrorism treaties including SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the suppression of unlawful acts (SUA) instruments are key international instruments supporting countries to counter terrorism. To boost implementation of these treaties in South and South-East Asia, IMO and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held a cross-regional workshop in Bali, Indonesia (5-8-February).
The workshop addressed the need to ratify the relevant international counter-terrorism instruments and to incorporate their provisions into national laws as well as promoting multi-agency and regional collaboration.
The event builds on recent national workshops held in Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Viet Nam, as well as a sub-regional event held at IMO Headquarters in November 2018.
Participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam shared experiences and best practices, and explored the potential for regional and cross-regional collaboration on maritime counter-terrorism prevention and response.
This is the last activity under Phase One of the “partnership without paperwork” project initiated by UNODC with funding from the Government of Japan. IMO is presenting on subjects including “the International Legal Framework against Maritime Terrorism”; “Suspected transport of BCN weapons by vessel in transit and passing through territorial waters” and “Bio-Terrorism/Mass Casualty event involving a Cruise Liner alongside in port”.