United Nations, Sep 27 (IANS) India has joined maritime and Gulf nations in calling for the protection of international sea lanes as leaders at the UN warned that attacks on ships and disruptions at strategic waterways were threatening energy supplies, food security and global trade.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar voiced deep concern over continuing hostilities in the Gulf and the targeting of commercial vessels and maritime crews in international waters.
He called for restraint, de-escalation and the uninterrupted movement of energy and commerce. India also sought greater protection for ships and seafarers caught in regional conflicts.
The warnings extended across speeches delivered during several days of the UN General Assembly debate this week. Ministers from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Singapore, the Philippines, Djibouti and other countries described maritime security as a global economic and humanitarian concern.
Oman said the recent regional war had paralysed navigation and trade through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption had affected energy security, price stability and confidence in the international order, Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said.
Oman remained committed to safeguarding navigation through the strait under international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, he said. He urged all parties to cooperate in protecting the interests of countries dependent on the route.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also linked Gulf stability directly to global energy security and trade.
“Safeguarding international navigation and the resilience of global supply chains is a shared responsibility,” he said.
Saudi Arabia opposed fees or restrictions on movement through the Strait of Hormuz. It also rejected the use of critical waterways as instruments of pressure against other countries.
Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said the effects of a maritime disruption extended far beyond coastal states.
“A waterway is not merely a security issue of concern for coastal States,” he said.
Such routes carry food, medicine and energy, he said, and their disruption affects families even in landlocked countries. Bahrain opposed permit and fee systems for passage through strategic straits.
The Philippines placed seafarers at the centre of the debate. Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said nearly 90 per cent of world trade moved by sea with the support of about two million seafarers. More than a quarter of them were Filipinos.
She referred to a recent incident in the Strait of Hormuz that killed two Filipino seafarers and injured others.
“Their tragedy reminds us: maritime security is human security,” Lazaro said.
“Open and secure seas, free from interference and coercion, are vital to our security, our economy, and our people,” she added.
Singapore cited the Strait of Singapore as an example of countries working together to protect a major shipping route. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said nearly a quarter of global seaborne trade passed through the strait.
Rules developed by the three littoral states had kept it open, safe and accessible, he said. Singapore described the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as one of the greatest achievements of multilateral lawmaking.
Djibouti issued a similar warning about the Red Sea. Its Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Houssein Omar said “any obstruction to the free movement of shipping could seriously disrupt supply chains”.
The Strait of Hormuz connects Gulf energy producers with markets through the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The Bab Al Mandab and Red Sea route links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal, while the Malacca and Singapore straits connect the Indian and Pacific oceans.
India imports most of its crude oil and relies heavily on maritime commerce. Disruptions along these routes can raise fuel, freight and insurance costs, delay shipments and expose Indian seafarers serving aboard international vessels to conflict-related risks.
–IANS
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