Former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and more recently, Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Read Part 2 here: https://indepthnews.net/sri-lanka-daunting-foreign-policy-options-for-a-new-administration-part-2/
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 9 November 2024 (IDN) — In the nineteenth century, the GREAT GAME was played by two global powers among the soaring peaks and stunning valleys of Afghanistan. Today a worryingly similar game is being played among the Monsoon drenched waves of the Indian Ocean crashing on the golden shores of Sri Lanka.
While Sri Lanka protects and advances its interests in an ocean of competing interests, its geographical location presents it with a range of complex challenges. Its incomparable location has been a unique blessing but has also been described as a curse, as throughout history major maritime powers jostled with each other and the Sri Lankan state, to take control of this island with a view to dominating the Indian Ocean, and Britain actually succeeded.
As to how Sri Lanka managed to maintain its independence and unique identity for so long will require a more detailed analysis. Learning from history, Sri Lanka must equip itself today to manage the avaricious attentions of global powers while maintaining its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The sea must, of necessity, form the first line of defense, in many senses, and Sri Lanka must equip itself adequately, both with its own effective human and material resources and a safety network of external relations. Cultivating friends will be an essential part of its foreign policy challenges.
Global arrangements provided by the UN and its agencies as well as effective and sympathetic international relations will be required. Today’s threats could also emanate from terrorists, predatory fishers accessing the EEZ, human traffickers, drug smugglers, pirates, etc.
As an island strategically located Sri Lanka has a solemn responsibility to ensure that the interests of the other users of the busy sea route caressing its shores and linking the East and the West are protected and made safe. 36,000 vessels sail past the southern tip of Sri Lanka annually.
The bulk of China’s energy needs come from the Middle East. Japan and South Korea are similarly dependent on the Middle East for their energy needs. Ensuring the safety of this ocean traffic would be major responsibility of Sri Lanka. The recently built Hambantota port could be a boon to international shipping as well as ready money spinner for the island.
Managing the transit of vessels of many nations and regulating access to Hambantota will require careful management. Entry of vessels of other nations to Hambantota, especially of other global powers has caused considerable irritations to international relations recently. Transparent requirements for entering its waters, equally applied to all, would be a first step along with the emphatic articulation of its non-aligned foreign policy. Sri Lanka’s nonalignment has served it well in the past.
Sri Lanka also owes it to humanity to manage its territory and the adjacent sea to ensure that the natural environment, especially the oceanic environment, is safeguarded. Sri Lanka is a major source of plastic waste floating into the Indian Ocean contributing to the ever-expanding gyre. This plastic island is a major environmental hazard, to all living organisms.
Although Sri Lanka is not a major cause, climate change, the warming of the seas and sea level rise pose a range of challenges that will have a significant economic impact with noticeable implications for living resources of the oceans. Sri Lanka, sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean, has a responsibility to contribute proactively to global initiatives on global warming. The previous government mooted the idea of a climate change university based in Sri Lanka. There are tangible benefits in being actively engaged in initiatives relating to climate change.
Today an additional factor must be taken into account by policy makers. Sri Lanka possesses a 200-mile exclusive economic zone and, a vast area of sea bed (possibly extending over 700 Km under water) to which a claim was lodged with the United Nations way back in 2009. This claim, which has languished for 15 years, needs to be actively revived and pursued with vigour.
This is an area into which professional resources must be inducted. The resources of the seas, in the water column, on the continental shelf and in the sub strata could contribute significantly to the country’s future economic prosperity, especially with the availability of technology to extract valuable minerals from the sea bed.
The ongoing problem with Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters needs dedicated attention to resolve. Leaving this issue for someone else to resolve in the future will only cause further difficulties. While India exports over one billion Dollars of fish products annually, Sri Lanka surrounded by the same ocean, imports over $300 million of fish products every year.
A dedicated Foreign Service division composed of highly experienced specialists in ocean affairs and climate change, some of whom may be inducted from the outside, would be necessary to manage this critical area. Many other countries have established special units to manage ocean affairs and climate change which develop specialties not available within the Foreign Service.
A streamlined and modern lean but effective, naval capability is also essential. The Sri Lankan navy, which excelled during the conflict with the LTTE by securing the sea border, could again play a similar role in peace time.
Multilateral Relations and the NAM
Historically, Sri Lanka has played a proactive and highly visible role multilaterally, especially at the UN. While individual Sri Lankans have occupied high profile senior positions in the UN system, the country has also contributed significantly to international policy formulation and global rule making. The law of the seas, disarmament, management of the high seas, the New International Economic Order, the formulation of the SDGS, terrorism, international legal affairs, Indian Ocean initiatives, etc readily come to mind.
Sri Lanka has been a proactive member of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) since its inception, having even hosted the Non Aligned Summit in 1976. The NAM has readily provided critical political support for Sri Lanka at the UN in New York and sometimes in Geneva. In more recent times, lethargy and ad hocary has replaced proactive engagement in international fora. Sri Lanka has much to benefit from continuing to engage actively with the NAM.
It can continue to be an effective political bulwark for Sri Lanka at the UN and similar multilateral fora and must be cultivated with professionalism in the future. Some senior NAM diplomats still maintain sympathetic feelings towards Sri Lanka due to their historical experience. Sri Lanka enjoyed a status way above what was expected of a country of its size in the NAM context and at the UN.
Some NAM members have developed impressive economies and can be helpful for Sri Lanka’s own development efforts in a South-South context. It is to be noted that some bigger members of NAM now tend to ally themselves with the West more openly in the contemporary context.
There are clear international political and economic benefits in remaining an active member of the NAM and consolidating relations with members of the NAM.
South East Asia – An Obvious Region to Cultivate
Proximity and cultural commonalities would make it easier for Sri Lanka to develop relations within the region. Given the relative similarities in development, there is a natural comfort level that would make bilateral relations easier. Sri Lanka was the historical cultural and religious inspiration of most of the South East Asian region till colonialism began to dominate.
Today, the booming economies of ASEAN would naturally make it essential for Sri Lanka to pay more professional attention to its neighbours in South East Asia, both politically and economically. The ASEAN economies are booming. China has replaced the USA as ASEAN’s major trading partner.
A free trade agreement has provided ASEAN with expanded access to the lucrative Chinese market and products from the region, including vegetables and fruits, have flooded Chinese shops. China is also the main source of tourism in ASEAN.
Buddhism, in particular, provides a strong bridge to develop mutually beneficial informal but influential bridges, not only in significant parts of South Asia but also with South East Asia and East Asia. This connection could be further encouraged, including through non-governmental channels. Sri Lanka can continue to play a useful, even influential role in this respect for mutual advantage.
Development of closer relations using the Buddhist connection seems to be the natural thing to do. Already, many Buddhists from Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore and even China and Japan visit Sri Lanka for religious reasons. For them, the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is a must visit attraction. Some of these visitors are politically high ranking. [IDN-InDepthNews]
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