Report on 3rd Coast Guard Global SummitRepresentatives of 96 organizations from 87 countries gather to discuss and coordinate responses to marine issues

The Nippon Foundation and the Japan Coast Guard held the 3rd Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS) in Tokyo on October 31 and November 1, 2023. The summit is one of the world’s largest platforms for effective coordination and discussion among the world’s coast guard organizations regarding a variety of critical marine issues including the depletion of marine resources and the increasing occurrence of disasters caused by climate change. This was the third time for The Nippon Foundation and the Japan Coast Guard to hold the CGGS, following the initial summit – the world’s first – in 2017 and the second, in 2019.

Representatives of 96 coast guard authorities and related organizations from 87 countries around the world attended the summit to discuss a broad range of marine issues. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended the welcoming reception held on October 30, and gave remarks in which he noted that he believed that this gathering of coast guard leaders from around the world was an important opportunity to share common values through dialogue.

1. Summit Overview

(1) Summit guidelines

To establish a flexible and sustainable framework for the summit, support was expressed for proposed revisions to the summit operation guidelines including allowing for the possibility of holding the summit online or using a hybrid format, and clarifying the method for choosing summit venues.

(2) Methods for sharing information

Support was expressed for the dedicated website currently under construction for the sharing of information including each country’s most recent successful activities, experiences, and human resource development, and for promoting the sharing of information among and enhancing the capabilities of the world’s coast guard authorities. The official launch of the website is to take place in the future.

(3) International coast guard capacity building

A report was given on the status and evaluation of the online program (keynote address and panel discussion that employees of coast guard authorities and other organizations could attend remotely) that was carried out as a “new educational opportunity,” and the program’s effectiveness was confirmed. Support was also expressed for continuing the program going forward while seeking ways to increase its educational effect, including inviting specialists from coast guard educational institutions and others to give lectures.
In addition, support was expressed for using the aforementioned dedicated website as a platform to contribute to human resource training at coast guard authorities by expanding its content to include information related to coast guard educational institutions and research institutes.

(4) Presentation of latest initiatives

• Policies for use of cutting-edge technologies including autonomous navigation
  A representative of the International Maritime Organization gave a presentation on the progress being made in discussions related to unmanned and autonomous ship navigation, and a representative of The Nippon Foundation gave an overview and update on the latest developments in the MEGURI2040 Fully Autonomous Ship Program.
  Representatives of Australia, France, Norway, Britain, and the United States also gave updates on initiatives underway in their respective countries.
• Best practices
  Presentations were also given by representatives of Italy on preparing for the next pandemic based on lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic, by Turkey on dealing with irregular immigrants traveling by sea, and by the  Information Sharing Centre created by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP ISC) on strengthening regional cooperation in combating piracy.

2. Hosts’ Comments

Yohei Sasakawa (Chairman, The Nippon Foundation)

In this time of rapid globalization, issues directly affecting the ocean are becoming increasingly diverse and complex. We need to cooperate and work together to address issues that cannot be resolved by one nation or one region on their own. The ocean is “humanity’s common property,” and to protect it, I hope that we will continue to share knowledge from the field and work together going forward.

Shohei Ishii (Commandant, Japan Coast Guard)

To pass on peaceful, beautiful, and bountiful seas to the next generation, it is important to deepen our understanding of common principles of conduct in the marine sector and enhance coast guard functions at the global level. I believe that this summit has become even more functional and sustainable than ever, and we need to ensure that it continues to function effectively as a platform for coordination and cooperation among the world’s coast guard authorities.