BRIDGING WATERS: MIDDLE POWERS’ COOPERATION ON MARITIME SECURITY

The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) convened a focused online webinar, “Bridging Waters: Middle Powers’ Cooperation on Maritime Security,” to examine practical ways middle powers can partner to protect trade routes and uphold freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and South China Sea. The event brought together regional experts and researchers who presented findings from a new HCSS paper series and discussed both preventive and responsive measures for enhancing maritime security. Dr. Ali Imran participated and represented Saint Pierre Center for International Security (SPCIS).

The webinar opened with a short introduction and then moved into two panels. The first panel addressed preventive measures — diplomatic, legal, and cooperative steps states can take to reduce risk before crises escalate. The second panel focused on responsive measures, including incident response, coastguard cooperation, and operational arrangements that can limit escalation when threats materialize.

In first panel, Dr. Shafiah F. Muhibat - Deputy Executive Director for Research, CSIS Indonesia emphasized that maritime security in the Indo-Pacific begins with trust-building. She noted that Southeast Asia’s experience shows how confidence-building measures such as joint patrols, open communication channels, and coastguard dialogues can prevent escalation. According to her, Indonesia consistently promotes sea-based diplomacy and pushes regional states away from zero-sum thinking. She argued that “middle powers must create their own security buffers instead of waiting for great powers to solve crises.”

Trang Pham - Research Fellow, Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law focused on legal frameworks as preventive tools. She said that countries with overlapping claims often lack clarity on maritime boundaries, but they can still cooperate through shared codes of conduct and practical arrangements. She highlighted the value of UNCLOS-based governance, joint research initiatives, and civilian-led maritime projects. In her view, legal cooperation does not solve sovereignty issues but reduces miscalculation.

Yara Ahmed - Senior Associate, MacroScope Strategies examined the situation in the Red Sea, noting that instability in Yemen, Sudan, and the wider Horn of Africa has raised risks for shipping. She stressed that middle powers like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan are taking on larger roles in securing shipping lanes, but regional action must be better coordinated. She explained that maritime security is being stretched by climate, piracy, and geopolitical tensions, and argued for cross-regional information-sharing platforms.

In the second panel Dr. Charmaine Willoughby - Prof and Chair, De La Salle University, Philippines focused on rapid-response cooperation. She explained that maritime incidents in the West Philippine Sea show why navies and coastguards must coordinate better. She argued that responsive mechanisms should be “fast, transparent, and civilian-first” to reduce escalation. She highlighted the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen coastguard diplomacy and stressed the importance of linking Southeast Asian and European partners for technical training and surveillance.

Dr. Sumathy Permal - Senior Fellow, Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA) emphasized that maritime insecurity often begins with nontraditional threats such as illegal fishing, smuggling, and environmental degradation. She explained that Malaysia has been expanding maritime domain awareness (MDA) capacity through satellite monitoring and maritime fusion centers. She noted that middle powers can pool resources for shared surveillance instead of building costly independent systems. She also warned that “responding to threats without shared data is like sailing blind.”

Eleonora Ardemagni - Senior Associate Research Fellow, ISPI spoke about the Middle East’s maritime dynamics, noting that the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea are increasingly interconnected. She argued that Gulf states now see maritime security as part of their long-term economic planning, especially as trade routes shift. She said middle powers can manage crises more effectively by linking coastguard operations, intelligence sharing, and comprehensive civilian-military coordination.

The webinar concluded with a call to build a more inclusive and multi-layered maritime order, where middle powers take ownership of security challenges that directly affect their economic futures.