The first ASEAN-EU High-level Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from November 18-19.

Held by the Habibie Centre, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and the Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument, the event saw the attendance of ASEAN General Secretary Le Luong Minh, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Ugo Astuto, and Ambassador and Head of the EU delegation to ASEAN Olof Skoog, among others.

During the two-day event, delegates focused on discussing issues related to maritime cooperation, including developing a regional management mechanism based on maritime cooperation principles by strengthening regional institutions and the international legal framework.

How to solve non-traditional threats to maritime security using regional cooperation tools as well as the European Union’s experience and proposals for ASEAN in this field were put on the table at the dialogue.

Executive Director of the Habibie Centre Rahimah Abdulrahim said that the event aimed to seek common standpoints, a modern policy framework and the possibility of maritime cooperation between the two regions.

It also served as a platform to identify unique and distinctive challenges faced by ASEAN in its efforts to improve maritime cooperation, thus bringing out solutions for the region, she added.-VNA