08.00 am
Registration

08:45 am
Guests to be Seated

09.00 am
National Anthem

09.05 am
Lighting of Traditional Oil Lamp

09.10 am
Introductory Remarks
Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Executive Director, LKI

09.15 am
Welcome Address
Hon. Tilak Marapana, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

09.20 am
Inaugural Address
H.E. Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

09.30 am
Keynote Speech
Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

09.40 am
Address
Amb. Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean

The Indian Ocean has long played host to some of the world’s most important trade and communication corridors, and its littoral states are now rapidly emerging as new drivers of the global economy. However, the region also faces a number of challenges. This panel will bring together officials from major littoral states and users of the Indian Ocean to outline their shared vision for the future of the region.

09.55 am
Opening Remarks by Chair of the Panel
Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Sri Lanka

10.05 am
Panel Discussion
Mr. Pankaj Saran, Deputy National Security Advisor, Government of India
Dr. Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa, and Chair, Committee of Senior Officials of IORA
Amb. Alice G. Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, US Department of State
Mr. Yi Xianliang, Director-General, Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China
Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka

11.05 am
Remarks
Mr. Alan Cole, Head, Global Maritime Crime Programme, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

11.10 am
Remarks
Prof. Sandeep Gopalan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Innovation, Deakin University, Australia
Mr. Athula Pathinayake, Executive Director, Centre on the Legal Profession, Deakin University, Australia

11.15 am
Break for Tea & Coffee

The Indian Ocean economy has become a major driver of global growth over the past two decades and has the potential to become a dominant force in the world economy by 2025. But the diversity in the region’s economies requires the right policies to make the most of its potential. This session will seek to set out the priorities to ensure the Indian Ocean’s future as the new global growth pole.

11.40 am
Introductory Comments by Co-Chairs
Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Executive Director, LKI
Dr. Prabir De, Professor, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, India

11.50 am
Remarks by Speakers
Ms. Caroline Vinot, Head of South Asia Division, European External Action Service, European Union
Dr. Siswo Pramono, Head/Director General, Policy Analysis and Development Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Indonesia
Prof. Masahiro Kawai, Representative Director and Director-General, Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia, Japan and Professor Emeritus and Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Japan
Prof. Suthiphand Chirathivat, Professor Emeritus, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

12.20 pm
Comments from Discussants and Participants

01.10 pm
Closing Remarks by Co-Chairs

01.20 pm
Lunch

Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and are an essential base for human life. But a rapidly growing population and the resulting increase in pollution threatens the health of our oceans. This session will explore the opportunities to establish economically-viable polices at the regional level, which favour the sustainable and low-pollution development of the Indian Ocean.

02.40 pm
Introductory Comments by Co-Chairs
Prof. Mohan Munasinghe, Founder Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development
Dr. Erika Techera, Professor of Law, University of Western Australia

02.50 pm
Remarks by Speakers
Prof. Micheni Japhet Ntiba, Principal Secretary, State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Kenya
Prof. Sandeep Gopalan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Innovation, Deakin University, Australia
Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri, Country Representative, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Sri Lanka
Dr. Karri Ramu, Scientist-E, National Centre for Coastal Research, India
Mr. George Cooke, Deputy Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Sri Lanka

03.40 pm
Comments from Discussants and Participants

04.30 pm
Closing Remarks by Co-Chairs

04.40 pm
Tea & Coffee

07.00 pm
Dinner
Hosted by the Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Venue: Temple Trees