What are the strategic implications of the Strait of Hormuz crisis for small island states?

This week I had the pleasure to discuss this important question at a roundtable in the frame of the WIO Futures conference organized by the Charles Telfair Center.

Small island states have been heavily affected by the shut down of the Strait. Rising energy prices in economies often fully dependent on oil, food prices, gaps in supplies and a drop in tourism are some of the fall outs.

For Islands this means not only to diversify their supply chains, but invest more in local green energy. Delighted to learn that for instance Mauritius has stepped up its programmes.

It also implies that islands need deeper regional integration. Frameworks like the Indian Ocean Commission and the Indian Ocean Rim Association are more valuable today than they have ever been. They offer exactly what isolated small states cannot achieve alone: risk-sharing, collective bargaining, and protection against external shocks.

For maritime security deeper regional integration and more efforts in capacity sharing are likewise needed. This means pooling resources in maritime law enforcement, getting towards working regional information sharing system, and thinking more strategically when and how to rely on the support of maritime powers.