ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC), in cooperation with its India Focal Point, the Indian Coast Guard, yesterday began its 12th Capacity Building Workshop for 19 maritime law enforcement and regulatory authorities from Asia and beyond, ISC said Wednesday.
Held in New Delhi, India from 19 to 21 June 2019, this year’s Capacity Building Workshop emphasises:
- Knowledge of the role and functions of ReCAAP Focal Points in combating piracy and armed robbery against ships
- Proficiency in operating the Information Network System (IFN) for timely incident reporting and sharing
- Presentation of case studies to share best practices and address challenges
- Grasp of international maritime laws and regulatory codes as the legal basis for anti-piracy and sea robbery actions
In addition to lectures, table-top exercises and group discussions, the Capacity Building Workshop will also incorporate dialogue with India’s shipping industry and visit to the facilities of Indian Coast Guard.
“One of the distinguishing features of ReCAAP as a government-to-government agreement is the strength of a network of ReCAAP Focal Points as well as our cooperation with the maritime community to collectively combat piracy and sea robbery in Asia,” said Mr. Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC.
“The ReCAAP ISC Capacity Building Workshop provides a yearly opportunity to gather the Focal Points to pool our knowledge and experience, and we are grateful to our India Focal Point for being the host and co-organiser.”
About ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC)
The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) is the first regional government-to-government agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia. The Agreement entered into force on September 4, 2006 with 14 Asian countries as Contracting Parties, and the Information Sharing Centre was established on November 29, 2006. To date, 20 States (14 Asian countries, 4 European countries, Australia, the USA) have become Contracting Parties to ReCAAP. To fulfil its vision as the Information Hub for combating piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia, ReCAAP ISC enhances regional cooperation through information sharing, capacity building and cooperative arrangements. At the 12th Governing Council Meeting in 2018, the Council announced that ReCAAP ISC has met the criteria to be a Centre of Excellence for information sharing in combating piracy and armed robbery at sea.