36 countries to participate in Pathfinder Foundation’s Indian Ocean Security Conference 

Sri Lanka's Pathfinder Foundation will conduct its 3-day Indian Ocean Security Conference (as a virtual/webinar event) from November 10 to 12 with the participation of representatives from the Indian Ocean littorals and IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) Dialogue Partner countries.

Altogether, representatives from 36 countries, including the 22 IORA members and other littoral countries, have been invited to the conference. Participants are expected to take part and contribute to the timely discussion on broad subjects covering security and governance issues in the Indian Ocean, the organisers said in a media release. 

The event will be held over three days for a duration of 2 hours each day. The sessions will focus on the themes: Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation; Enhancing Connectivity; and Identifying and addressing major Issues including ‘mistrust’ and ‘trust deficiency.’
Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, former Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs and National Security Advisor of India and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Social and Economic Progress and Ambassador. Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman, Pathfinder Foundation will co-chair the event. Ambassador Robert Blake, former US Ambassador in Sri Lanka; Dr. Raja C. Mohan, Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore; and Dr. Frederic Grare, who formerly led the Asia Bureau at the Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy, a think tank  associated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France, will serve as moderators of the three sessions. 

The main purpose of the conference is to address multifaceted security issues impacting on the Indian Ocean with focus on Maritime Security and Maritime Governance. The event is expected to create a platform for all stakeholders i. e. policy makers, relevant government officials, researchers, scholars, subject matter experts, think-tank representatives etc to engage in a constructive discussion, sharing expertise on relevant topics with a view to help maintain the Indian Ocean free of power rivalry, and facilitate free and unimpeded navigation for all interested parties, without exception or exclusion.