Senior officers from Australia and 19 other nations attended the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) meeting in Sydney this week to reinforce the importance of a regional approach to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea. ReCAAP facilitates capacity building efforts and information sharing among its member countries.
Rear Admiral Michael Noonan, Commander of Maritime Border Command of the Australian Border Force (ABF), which includes ABF and Defence, stressed the importance of ReCAAP as the only multi-nation regional forum dedicated to combatting piracy and sea robbery.
“Australian maritime trade is exposed to the threat of piracy in the same way as other nations who rely on key international shipping routes, and being able to tap into the experience and expertise of the ReCAAP member nations is of great benefit to Australia,” Rear Admiral Noonan said.
“We are a nation reliant on shipping; approximately $130 billion worth of Australian trade is transported through the Strait of Malacca every year. ReCAAP strengthens regional capacity to protect sea lanes, and ultimately ensures the safety of seafarers on the high seas.
“Our membership to ReCAAP underscores Australia’s commitment to the eradication of piracy and the maintenance of secure and safe trade via the sea.”
The theme of this meeting was Addressing Challenges Together, and the forum provided a valuable opportunity for member nations to build strong working relationships and identify opportunities to enhance their capabilities.
To date, the ReCAAP has a total of 20 member countries, namely, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Denmark, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Norway, the Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam.