President Maithripala Sirisena today urged members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to adopt a new and comprehensive legal order to battle the trafficking of illicit drugs in the Indian Ocean.
The President, in his address to the IORA Leaders Summit this morning said, it was necessary to examine the dangers setting off from the sea such as piracy and terrorism.
The salient points of the PResident's speech at the Leaders Summit of the IORA are as follows,
"Although various counter-trafficking measures have been implemented, there is no satisfactory end result.It is universally recognized that all littoral states possess a maritime area bordering their coasts within which they exercise complete authority.
However, beyond this limit comprise high seas and are not subject to the jurisdiction of any state. Most of the illicit drugs are smuggled into the country from the sea beyond the territorial waters.I suggest IORA to work out a stable legal order to confront these concerns in conformity with the principles of the freedom of navigation.
it was in this context that the IORA Concord and the Action Plan was signed by member nations, strengthening the organization's role as an active forum for dialogue.
The national unity government had undertaken measures to strengthen Sri Lanka's position in the Indian Ocean region. The President revealed Sri Lanka's ambitious plans to enter the global value chain by becoming a regional hub for trade, tourism, transport and logistics. It was necessary for IORA to initiate a dialogue between SAARC and ASEAN leaders.
