Touhid for maritime connectivity, reducing trade barrier

Foreign Affair Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today laid emphasis on facilitating maritime connectivity and reducing trade barriers to ensure a brighter, more prosperous future for all nations of the Indian Ocean and beyond. 

"We need to facilitate maritime connectivity, reduce the trade barriers," he said when speaking at a plenary session titled "Strengthening Maritime Supply Chains: Overcoming Disruptions and Enhancing Resilience" at the 8th Indian Ocean Conference being held in Muscat, the capital of Oman.  

The adviser said Bangladesh places strong importance on maritime cooperation for facilitating the efficient movement of goods, services and people, for advancing food security, energy security, water cooperation, disaster risk reduction and providing fair access to global public goods. 

Bangladesh advocates for "shared prosperity" through "shared responsibility," he said.  

The adviser said it is essential for the countries in the Indian Ocean region to explore opportunities for mutual collaboration across all possible areas to ensure a resilient and improved shared future.

"We [Bangladesh] are committed to strengthening our partnerships across the Indian Ocean, addressing emerging challenges, and embracing the tremendous opportunities this region offers," he said.  

Touhid said that all coastal nations in the Indian Ocean region, as well as the surrounding seas and bays, should work together with trust, respect, and shared interests to achieve growth and prosperity. 

The adviser pointed out that the global economy, food security, and energy supplies are at increasing risk due to vulnerabilities at key maritime routes. 

"We need to take appropriate actions to tackle the maritime security threats of piracy, armed robbery, human trafficking, illegal arms trade, and illegal and unregulated fishing, among others," he said underlining the need for addressing regulatory and administrative issues.

The adviser emphasized the need to liberalize the visa regime, especially by simplifying visa procedures and other administrative processes for seafarers.  

Hossain warned that the maritime supply chain is vulnerable to many challenges like port congestion, capacity limitations, regulatory, operational and administrative issues, cyber attacks, piracy, and geopolitical tensions, which can disrupt the efficiency of maritime supply chains. 

The adviser said these multiple challenges and other geo-economic and geo-strategic factors require increased cooperation among the States. 

"We must take measures to address vulnerabilities and enhance resilience," he added. 

"We must also remember that the oceans are not only a driving force for global economic growth but also a vital source of food security," he mentioned.   

Hossain said that strengthening maritime supply chains involved a holistic approach combining technology, infrastructure improvements, strategic planning, risk management strategies and cross-border collaboration. 

"We also must prioritize conservation and the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources to ensure that the use of these resources does not contribute to the decline in the health of oceanic and coastal environments," he said.     

The adviser mentioned that Bangladesh, as a littoral state, had long been a center of maritime activities as it actively participated in various regional platforms, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the International Seabed Authority.

The 8th Indian Ocean Conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman. The theme of the Indian Ocean Conference this year is "Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership."

Bangladesh foreign adviser is likely to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts of other countries including Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sideline of the conference.