On February 20, 2012, the GMF Warsaw office was honoured by a visit from the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the United Kingdom, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope. GMF Senior Program Officer Michal Baranowski introduced the Admiral’s keynote speech “The contribution of maritime power to international security” and moderated the discussion that followed.

In his speech, the Admiral began by reminding the audience about the navy’s prime objective to relentlessly defend national and international waters. Poland, he said, would be a worthy example, noting its 1939 defence of Westerplatte in Gdansk. Yet more recent activities around the Mediterranean Sea and the coast of Africa only reinforce the central role played by the navy in preserving international security. However, the Admiral argued that maritime security today is much different to what it was in the past. It is now a global rather than local necessity. Given the extremely dynamic, complex and uncertain international environment, instability in one area will affect the entire globe. The world’s deepening economic crises or the Arab Spring events are sound examples of this interconnectivity that now require a different approach to maritime strategy, especially since the era of globalisation carries threats such as local conflicts, failing states, terrorism, weapon and drug smuggling, human trafficking, cyber security, natural disasters, and climate change. The Admiral said that if states want to meet tomorrow’s challenges, their forces need to do more than just work towards a kinetic effect.

It is crucial for states to realize the great economic values coming from securing oceans and seas, since for many of them the very access to water has long been a fundamental and strategic manoeuvre. The Admiral further stated that, irrespective of where someone lives, there is still a dependency on commodities that are brought via the sea. In 1970 less than 20% of sea transportation contributed to the world’s trade, while that figure today is almost 90%. To preserve national interests in a globalized era, states should do more to cooperate and protect the high seas. They must take the responsibility of preserving peace after withdrawing from conflict zones. The Admiral stressed the importance of states’ advocacy and multilateralism with regards to maritime security. He said that the cooperation process should involve a wider audience with NGOs, think tanks, and pressure groups in order to provide governments with new intelligence. It is in everyone’s interest to keep the seas safe and no state is able to deal with global problems singlehandedly; “states with global perspectives need to be globally responsible”.

The Admiral further emphasized the importance of a naval presence in conflict zones and around the major transport routes where ships are vulnerable to piracy. Local economies in the Horn of Africa are gradually being destroyed by piracy and, while some major corporations are losing a total of $7 billion each year, there is a much greater human cost as people are kidnapped or killed. He argued that the maritime forces of Western developed countries cannot do all the work alone; states that are vulnerable to piracy should do more in terms of deterrence. For example, some commercial boats operating off the coast of Somalia have permission to carry arms for their own security. Similar problems exist in the Gulf of Mexico, in the form of drug smuggling, and the maritime border security in Iran and Iraq. All of these areas, he said, contribute to greater instability and violence that with each passing year become more predominant.

The Admiral concluded his speech by praising some of the ongoing work by the navy, such as the preservation of international maritime agreements, countering terrorism in the Middle East, setting the conditions for stability, supporting a conflict prevention strategy, and maintaining peaceful relations within particular regions in order to preserve economic prosperity. However, according to the Admiral, one of the biggest contributions to maritime security is soft power - the reinforcement of shared values that build a greater trust among people. Soft power also helps to engage locals and proves to show their interest in maritime security, which is a key factor in a successful counter-piracy strategy.

To listen to Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope's keynote speech in full, click here.