Mills, Greg2020-11-302020-11-30731527453http://hdl.handle.net/1885/216577Through an examination of the nature of the security agenda in Indian Ocean rim (IOR) states and in the light of ongoing diplomatic initiatives in the region, this study provides a number of policy guidelines both for assessing the likely success of the various IOR initiatives and, specifically, for addressing regional security difficulties. The IOR remains a diverse and geographically nebulous region in which there is no common view of security. There is also a danger that the embryonic IOR trade facilitation process may be undermined if security issues are handled within the first-track IOR Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC). Although the second-track diplomatic process may be a less contentious forum for dealing with these issues, the political will and the funding necessary for this to progress are currently lacking. Against a backdrop of the increasing importance of maritime issues in developing countries, naval cooperation could significantly enhance and improve regional confidence, and act also as a confidence-building measure. An IOR Naval Symposium, based on the template provided by the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, could be a most appropriate format for addressing IOR maritime issues.139 p. ; 21 cmapplication/pdfen-AUAuthor/s retain copyrightNational security--Indian Ocean RegionIndian Ocean Region--Strategic aspectsSouth Africa--Foreign relations--1994-1998