Press Release 2023.08.30 Pathfinder Foundation

The Eighth Research Institute for Indian Ocean (RIIO) International Conference, which focused on the Challenges and Prospectus for Blue Economy Cooperation in the Indian Ocean, was held in Kunming, China.  The event held from the perspective of security and development was attended by policymakers and academia representing think tanks in South Asia and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand etc.  

The discussions were held under four main themes, namely Strategic Competition and Cooperation among Great Powers in the IOR, Geopolitical Changes and Challenges for Maritime Security in the IOR, Cooperative Mechanism and Building Blue Economy Partnership in the IOR, and the Problems, Challenges, and Prospects for Cooperation in the IOR.

The deliberations on the above themes are important to Sri Lanka to enable the country to exploit numerous blue economic development opportunities. In particular, building blue economic partnerships within the region will be a key subject area of discussion, as Sri Lanka assumes Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in the latter half of this year and develops a deeper understanding of geopolitical sensitivities in developing national policies for the country.  

During the discussion on ‘Strategic Competition and Cooperation among Great Powers in the IOR’, Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman Pathfinder Foundation, addressed the conference on the topic of ‘Indian Ocean power rivalry and the dilemma of small states’.  In his presentation, he focused on” the resurgence of great power rivalry in the 21^st century and the plight of the small states, which are forced to take sides or face consequences.

A significant highlight of the event was signing several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) by participating think tanks to establish a network for cooperation and undertake independent research work.  During the MOU signing ceremony, Pathfinder renewed its bilateral MOU with RIIO and signed a Letter of Intent to enter into the MOU to establish a network of think tanks.

Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman, and Dr. Dayaratna Silva, Executive Director of Pathfinder Foundation, participated at the Eighth RIIO International Conference on Common Development of China and Indian Ocean region’.

Picture 1  (Left to Right)  Khalid Rahman, Chairman, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman, Pathfinder Foundation  and Fu Xiaoqiang, Vice President of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations

2. Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of Pathfinder Foundation, addressed the conference on the topic of ‘Indian Ocean power rivalry and the dilemma of small states’.

3. Paricepent of the Eighth Research Institute of Indian Ocean, which focused on the Challenges and Prospectus for Blue Economy Cooperation

4 (Left to Right) Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh, Khalid Rahman, Chairman, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan, Zhu Cuiping, Director, Research Institute for Indian Ocean Economies. Srikanth Kondapalli, Dean, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University  U Zaw Oo, Executive Director of Center for Economic and Social Development,  Dr. Dayaratna Silva, Executive Director, Pathfinder Foundation  

5 . Zhu Cuiping, Director, of the Research Institute for Indian Ocean Economies, and Dr. Dayaratna Silva, Executive Director, of Pathfinder Foundation,  establish a network for cooperation and undertake independent research work.