New Delhi [India], October 9 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said the newly formed 'Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers' (GoF on S4) aims to bring maritime stakeholders together to strengthen international cooperation and place the safety of seafarers and commercial shipping at the centre of global discourse, amid a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf region and the Black Sea.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a weekly media briefing here, said the initiative seeks to coordinate countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities, to ensure the safety and security of commercial vessels and their crews.
"The idea is to get them together so that we can bring the issue of safety of seafarers and the issue of safety of commercial shipping at the center of global discourse and discussion, and we can enhance international cooperation so as to ensure that commercial shipping is not impacted, they are not attacked, and the seafarers are safe and secure," Jaiswal said.
Responding to a question on whether the 25-nation coalition would go beyond condemning attacks on Indian seafarers, the MEA spokesperson highlighted the group's objective of fostering international cooperation.
Jaiswal said India and Liberia had held a meeting on Thursday and strongly condemned the series of attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf region and its vicinity, as well as the Black Sea.
"The first meeting of the Group of Friends for Safety of Seafarers—that is the objective behind this group—the first meeting of this Friends of Safety for Seafarers took place in New York, where the Liberian Foreign Minister and Indian Foreign Minister took the lead; they presided over the meeting. 25 countries joined that meeting," he said.
He added that the participating countries included stakeholders involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, major service providers and countries with large seafaring communities.
The remarks follow a joint statement issued on Thursday by India and Liberia, as co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers, strongly condemning attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf and its vicinity and the Black Sea over the preceding days.
In the statement, the two countries described the attacks as unacceptable and called for an immediate halt to such incidents, citing their impact on maritime trade and the loss of innocent lives.
"These actions that disrupt maritime trade and cost innocent lives are simply indefensible. We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region," the joint statement said.
India and Liberia also expressed condolences to the families of seafarers who lost their lives and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the seafarers who have lost their lives and pray for early recovery of those injured," the statement added.
The two countries launched the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers last month on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly with the stated objective of improving coordination to prevent further attacks and safeguard the rights of seafarers.
Announcing the initiative last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India had joined hands with Liberia to address growing concerns over attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners.
"As a major source country for seafarers, India has joined hands with Liberia, which hosts the largest shipping registry by tonnage on this planet," Jaishankar said at a joint press conference with Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti.
Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, the External Affairs Minister said attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners were "legally and morally indefensible".
"Put simply, these attacks must stop," Jaishankar said.
The initiative comes amid concerns over repeated attacks on commercial vessels, which have placed seafarers, including Indian nationals, at risk.
India and Liberia have emphasised the need for coordinated international efforts to protect commercial shipping, prevent further attacks and ensure the safety and security of seafarers. (ANI)
GoF on S4 aims to boost maritime cooperation, ensure seafarers’ safety into global discourse: MEA
