4th Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue co-hosted by Pathfinder Foundation and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue – May 2024

The 4th annual Bay of Bengal Dialogue, co-hosted by the Pathfinder Foundation and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD) of Switzerland, was held in Colombo from 7th to 8th May at Cinnamon Grand, Colombo. The event was attended by prominent personalities, including India Foundation’s President, Dr. Ram Madhav, and BIMSTEC Secretary General Amb. Indra Mani Pandey, alongside heads of diplomatic missions based in Colombo.

This year's Dialogue, a track 1.5 initiative, saw 78 participants from BIMSTEC countries and beyond engaging in critical discussions on maritime governance, crisis management, and sustainable development in the Bay of Bengal. The discussions were structured around six key themes, focusing on Enhanced Maritime Governance & Cooperation, Maritime Crisis Management and Communication, Transboundary Fisheries Management, Climate-informed Policy Options for Marine Resource Management, Dealing with Disasters, and IUU Fishing,

The Dialogue's outcomes are expected to influence the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit significantly, highlighting issues such as IUU fishing and the impact of climate change on marine resources. It also followed up on the previous year's Guiding Principles for interactions between Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies (MLEAs) and fishing vessels to reduce conflicts and enhance cooperation.

The gathering recognized and appreciated the advancements made since last year, including the development of platforms for sharing disaster management practices and the creation of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Guidelines for MLEAs, all of which underscore the Dialogue's commitment to fostering regional cooperation and sustainable maritime governance in the Bay of Bengal.