SRI LANKA Colombo turns to UN to expand exclusive economic zone

Intense lobbying work in collaboration with the Maldives, in order to avoid disputes between both parties and define the portions of the ocean that can be exploited. In the spotlight, the great potential for energy production from renewable sources. Doubts about the ability to manage such an extensive territory.

Colombo () – In collaboration with the Maldives – to avoid possible territorial disputes and contrasting claims on the extension of the continental shelf – Sri Lanka is carrying out intense lobbying activity at the UN to expand its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) . It is an area of ​​ocean about 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a country’s internal waters, over which it has jurisdiction and the ability to exploit living and non-living resources. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has been in force since 1982, allows extensions to be defined, although sometimes it is not enough to resolve disputes, as is happening in the South China Sea.

In May 2009, Colombo presented technical and scientific data to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, to establish the boundaries beyond the EEZ as established by the UNCLOS Convention. In 2016, the Commission established a subcommittee that addressed the issue with Sri Lankan counterparts and then launched 11 cycles of talks.

A senior government official explains to that “Sri Lanka has successfully established the outer margin of its continental shelf, to the satisfaction of the subcommission. However, it is still awaiting approval from the UN Commission. In 2023 Foreign Minister Ali Sabry got the green light from the Executive to establish the National Oceanic Affairs Commission under the Ministry to work closely with the subcommittee.”

“As there are overlapping claims with the Maldives on the extent of the continental shelf, during bilateral talks with Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, the Sri Lankan delegation discussed the issue.” The two parties, continues the senior official, “have decided to collaborate reciprocally to avoid any conflict in the overlapping areas”, choosing diplomatic route instead of a show of force.

According to Australia-based international law experts Supun Alahakoon and Ashoka Withanage, “a country can claim continental shelf rights up to 350 nautical miles or 100 nautical miles from a depth of 2,500 meters, whichever is greater.” “These areas can contribute significantly to the exploitation of off-shore wind energy and ocean renewable energies. As an island country surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the potential for renewable ocean energy in the form of waves, tides and salinity gradients is abundant in Sri Lanka. The country, they warn, can also rely on “geothermal energy extraction.”

Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean and has a coastline of 1,340 km and territorial waters extending over 21,500 km2, reaching the contiguous zone 24 nautical miles from the outer edge of the territorial zone. At the same time, the EEZ extends for approximately 510,000 km2 and guarantees Sri Lanka “a geothermal energy extraction potential”, experts continue. Ocean energy can also be harnessed using five different technologies, such as tidal/ocean currents, waves, rising and falling tides (barrages), temperature gradients, and salinity gradients. Added to this is a large oceanic territory, which is approximately 6/7 times the surface of the country and “could be suitable for the construction of off-shore and oceanic wind installations,” conclude Supun and Ashoka.

Analysts Sampath Tennakoon and Nishantha Galagoda consider, for their part, that “Sri Lanka’s attempt to increase its EEZ represents an immense benefit for the island country.” However, they conclude, “the question is: can Sri Lanka, as a small national state, manage such an extensive oceanic territory?”