France keen to build common platform with Sri Lanka to fight illegal fishing: French Indo-Pacific envoy
France has declared its plans to fight against Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Indian ocean working through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
French Ambassador for Indo-Pacific, Marc Abensour told a group of selected media persons that his government was closely working with Sri Lanka on IORA initiatives.
“We are working on the fight against illegal fishing. We are working to define guidelines on illegal fishing that can be endorsed within the IORA framework”.
Sri Lanka is currently the Chair of IORA, an intergovernmental organisation formed in 1997 to foster regional economic cooperation. IORA has evolved into a peak regional group spanning the Indian Ocean and has expanded to 23 member states and 11 dialogue partners.
“We are concerned about illegal fishing, trafficking and therefore it is important to us to team up to face the new challenges. We have to work together to contribute to a conceptual framework which we share for the benefit of the two countries. The Indo-Pacific strategic framework has the merits to share a common platform on which we can build further and provide protection to the region,” he said.
Commenting on the IUU fishing, he said, France could contribute together to define the regulatory framework. “I think it is a necessary step firstly to agree on common standards. For instance, France and Indonesia are working within the framework of IORA. We are the two leading countries proposing the guidelines for the IORA on how to fight the issue of illegal fishing. If you have common standards, it makes a huge difference. I was told that on the Indian Ocean there is a deficit of common standards on how to regulate fishing activity,” he added.
Ambassador Abensour elaborating on the French interest in IORA said France was adopting a very proactive approach towards IORA. “We are increasing our commitment to IORA which will be three million Euros for the next few years.”
“We are also engaged in the working group on the humanitarian assistance for disaster relief. This is something we want to share with the IORA framework”. The Ambassador also said that during his visit to Sri Lanka he called on the Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and discussed plans of opening a Maritime Security training centre to be established in Trincomalee. “We discussed the plan so that we can start it soon as possible. So, we think that we can work together to contribute to the maritime security architecture across the Indian Ocean.
He said the objective of setting up the school would be to provide practical training on maritime security and maritime safety.
He said the training school in the future may be able to attract from neghbouring countries students who would be able to undergo practical training on maritime security.
France's Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Jean-François Pactet also addressing the news conference said that the modalities of setting up the training school was being worked out.
He said Sri Lanka is considered a growing partner of importance in France's approach to the Indo Pacific.
“France remains very much engaged with the
Indo-Pacific. It was reflected with the visit of the French President to many countries including Sri Lanka. It shows our level of engagement despite the crisis in Ukraine and in the Middle Eastern region. We remain fully committed to the partnership in Indo-Pacific,” he added.
Ambassador Abensour commenting on the interest of France as a resident nation in the Indo-Pacific said the French EEZ in the Indian Ocean, compared to other countries is one of the largest. “We also contribute to the regional stability and have a military presence
in the Indian ocean. We have military bases in Djibouti and also in the Emirates. We have about 4,000 military personnel deployed across the Indian ocean. They contribute to the protection of our sovereignty but also help to protect the sea lanes of communication. Also, they protect the underwater cables.”
He said it is also important to engage with the Sri Lankan government with similar interests.
He said that France was supporting programmes on climate change and addressing the plastic waste issue among others.