The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) serves as a platform for implementing Disaster Risk Management where
Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to maritime disasters due to oil spills as the country is situated in the busiest shipping lane in the IOR and cooperation between navies and coast guards is vital to the management of our risks, State Minister Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said.
He was addressing a seminar on Disaster Risk Management and Japan’s Role in the IORA, earlier this week at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) in Colombo.
Japan has a multifaceted and impactful role in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) within the IORA and through knowledge sharing, capacity building, technology transfer, infrastructure development and active engagement with regional organisations; Japan has significantly contributed to enhancing the disaster resilience of IORA member states.
The LKI organised the seminar in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Colombo. The conference was attended by Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Komura Masahiro, M.P.
The State Minister said that IORA serves as a platform for implementing DRM by fostering cooperation among the member states and dialogue partners to create a resilient, connected and open Indian Ocean region.
The Minister appreciated Japan’s leadership role in IORA’s DRM initiatives and the support of Japan Coast Guard (JCG) for Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG), stressing Japan’s significant involvement in the DRM within the Indian Ocean Region. He also remembered with gratitude Japan’s support during the 2004 Tsunami disaster.
Yamada Tetsuya of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sri Lanka office, Actg General Manager of Marine Environmental Protection Authority A.J.M. Gunasekara and Director General of the DMC Maj. Gen. S. Ranasinghe also contributed to the panel discussion. (LB)
