IMO Holds Counter Terrorism Training for S.Asian Countries

Legal experts and port and maritime security officers from Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka have gathered at  International Maritime Organization (IMO)  in London (27-29 November) for a focused sub-regional workshop on implementing transport-related (maritime) counter terrorism instruments.

A press note from IMO said that the joint United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and IMO Counter Terrorism/Security sub-regional workshop was a follow-up to three national workshops in the same countries.

"This is part of an ongoing UNODC/IMO project to boost implementation of IMO maritime security and counter terrorism treaties, including SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the suppression of unlawful acts (SUA) instruments. These are key elements of the international counter terrorism instruments," it said.

The emphasis of the capacity building is on the need for good supporting national legislation, as well as multi-agency collaboration.

The national workshops have recognized the benefits of developing national maritime security strategies and national counter-terrorism strategies. Representatives from the United Kingdom, who have developed both, contributed their experiences in strategy development at this sub-regional workshop.

Interport Police and the UN 1540 Committee also participated in the workshop. The World Customs Organization (WCO), UNCTED and Interpol will be involved in future workshops on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction via the maritime domain.

The ongoing joint UNODC/IMO Counter Terrorism/Security project will continue, with table-top exercises in Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam in early 2019, and with a regional meeting planned for February 2019 which will include Philippines, which recently completed a table-top exercise tailored for testing contingency plans on possible terrorism-related incidents in the maritime domain.