The Philippine and the United States Coast Guards have collaborated on training maritime law enforcement authorities from other countries to enhance shared cooperation in addressing challenges at sea.
At least 30 delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam had participated in the Technical Expert Workshop from Nov. 5 to 7 held in Bagac, Bataan.
The participants learned about collaborative approaches to countering illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, among others.
The delegates, who were from participating nations’ coast guards, border security, and fisheries enforcement agencies, conducted technical exchanges and scenario-based simulation exercises to improve existing policies and standard operating procedures related to information sharing and operational coordination.
The participating agencies will collectively present their observations and recommendations to their senior leaders at the 2025 Commanders’ Forum.
The annual Technical Expert Workshop and Commanders’ Forum series are funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) through its Southeast Asia Maritime Law Enforcement Initiative (SEAMLEI).
“The annual SEAMLEI Commanders’ Forum and Technical Expert Workshop are key elements of the broader U.S. effort to enhance maritime cooperation among Southeast Asian partners,” US Embassy INL Deputy Director Luke Bruns said.