Sri Lanka in talks with regional countries for economic activities beyond EEZ

• It was also discussed that this ocean region is very important for Sri Lanka due to fuel exploration and biodiversity

Negotiations are underway with regional countries, including India, as per the United Nations Law of the Sea to explore economic activities in a sea area extending 250 nautical miles beyond Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, the National Oceanic Affairs Committee Secretariat said.

This was revealed when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations met the National Oceanic Affairs Committee Secretariat, an agency affiliated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently in the Parliament complex.  

According to a statement issued by the Parliament media division, the current Chairman of the Secretariat, Dr. N.P. Vijayananda, addressing the meeting, stated that there is a possibility of using a sea area of 250 nautical miles beyond the exclusive economic zone, which is 200 nautical miles from the land of the country, for economic activities in the country.   

According to the United Nations Charter on the Law of the Sea, the agreement of the regional countries is necessary, so the Chairman pointed out that negotiations with other regional countries, including India, are ongoing. It was also discussed that this ocean region is very important for Sri Lanka due to fuel exploration and biodiversity.  

Accordingly, the Committee Chair pointed out the need to speed up these activities in coordination with the Ministry of Defence and said that he expects to make a request to the minister in charge of the subject.