Bengaluru, India – Maldivian Minister of Defence, Mariya Didi has taken part in the “Indian Ocean Region Defence Ministers’ Conclave 2021” which was held in Bengaluru, India.
In her remarks, Minister Mariya highlighted the contemporary threats and crises facing the region, including Climate Change and the associated challenges of providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations, Maritime Insecurity and challenges to Maritime Domain Awareness such as Piracy and Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing, Terrorism, Violent Extremism and Foreign Terrorist Fighters, Narcotics and Human Trafficking, Cybercrimes and threats to Aviation Security and Border Security.
Minister Mariya also pointed out that with two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments and half of all container ships passing through the territorial waters of the Maldives, that it was vital that states in the Region synergize their resources and energies to enhance Peace, Security and Cooperation.
She also stated that the countries in the Indian Ocean Region need to push for the preservation and advancement of Peace and Security on a global scale, starting right from their own communities and that the states need to cooperate and prioritize collective action, especially given the unconventional nature of the contemporary threat environment, marked by hybrid threats.
The IOR Defence Ministers’ Conclave saw the participation of 27 states, including India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Seychelles, Mauritius and Iran.
