Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for dialogue between Indian Ocean littoral states and major maritime users of the Indian Ocean to discuss various maritime issues and develop a common understanding based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Discussing the reasons for hosting the ‘Indian Ocean: Defining Our Future’ conference in Colombo, the prime minister noted that the region is one of the fastest growing regions in the world and is expected to reach middle income status by 2025.

To address the growing competition in the region, he highlighted the importance of an international rules based order and Sri Lanka’s interest in building “the foundation for a prosperous regional economy.”