On 15 January 2020, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Viet Nam Prasanna Gamage met with the Deputy Chief of Viet Nam Coast Guard, Senior Colonel Tran Quang Tuan, at the Department of Foreign Relations of the Ministry of Defense of Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, at the invitation of Viet Nam Coast Guard, to share Sri Lanka’s experiences and explore possibilities of further cooperation in Coast Guard operations.
Senior Colonel Tuan initiated the discussion by referring to their visit to Sri Lanka in October 2019, to take part in the 05th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM). He appreciated the invitation extended by the Government of Sri Lanka and stated that the visit encouraged the Viet Nam Coast Guard to expand its cooperation with its Sri Lankan counterpart, considering the vast experience of Sri Lanka’s Coast Guard at national, regional and international levels. Senior Colonel Tuan said that Viet Nam attaches the utmost importance to combatting transnational crimes such as drug and human trafficking and maritime crimes. He added that such crimes cannot be controlled without international cooperation, and therefore, maintaining strong relations between respective agencies and focal points are extremely important, considering the sophisticated nature of operations by criminals. Senior Colonel Tuan explained the importance of Vietnam’s existing international collaboration with countries such as USA, Japan, South Korea, China and Thailand. He also emphasized that the sharing of acquired knowledge among countries in the region would further aid Coast Guards in effectively combatting crimes committed in Oceans, Seas and Rivers. The Deputy Chief also said that Viet Nam Coast Guard follows the four principle areas identified by the HACGAM viz. Search and Rescue, Environmental Protection, Preventing and Controlling Unlawful Acts at Sea and Capacity Building, in formulating their activities.
While thanking the Viet Nam Coast Guard for seeking Sri Lanka’s assistance and also expressing willingness to further expand and consolidate cooperation between the two Coast Guards, Ambassador Gamage guaranteed Sri Lanka’s fullest cooperation. He explained that the Sri Lanka Coast Guard too follows the four principles of HACGAM in devising its programs of action. Ambassador Gamage was in agreement with Senior Colonel Tuan on the importance of international cooperation in Coast Guard Operations in the region, information and knowledge sharing and capacity building. He further stated that, given the geographical distance of the two countries, there might be difficulties in regular exchange of officers, but that there would be possibilities for participating Coast Guard officers to act as observers for regional/bilateral training and capacity building programs, and to use modern technology such as video conferencing to work closely with one other.
The Deputy Chief of Viet Nam Coast Guard requested that the Coast Guards of the two countries enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to strengthen and consolidate continued cooperation, which was a proposition welcomed by Ambassador Gamage. The two parties agreed to initiate action to negotiate and finalize the proposed MoU this year, as part of celebrations of 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
