Christian Bueger

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Discussing maritime security in Maldives

Small island states are at the frontier of maritime security and ocean conservation—a reality I experienced firsthand during my recent visit to the Maldives.

Consisting of more than 1,200 tiny islands, the country relies on inland waterways as its main transport routes, while resort tourism drives the economy. Tuna is the staple food and features in almost all local dishes.

In meetings with the Coast Guard and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I learned about the challenges of managing and safeguarding the maritime economy. While the coast guard is capable and well-equipped, the vast threat landscape makes stronger regional cooperation urgent.

The primary purpose of my visit was to participate in the Theveli Conference, the annual flagship event of the The Maldives National University (MNU). This amazing interdisciplinary gathering brings together researchers interested in the nature, society, and politics of the Maldives and other small island states.

In my keynote address, I discussed how academics can contribute to global ocean politics and how we can improve at translating research into policy, drawing on my experience in maritime security and, most recently, in the UN Security Council. Link to video.

I also taught a short course on linking blue economy to maritime security which led to interesting exchanges on what priorities Maldives should aim for.

Moreover, I participated in a roundtable marking the launch of ‘Small States Maritime Security’ by Athaulla (‘Atho’) Rasheed. The book offers an excellent analysis of maritime challenges facing small states—highly recommended reading.

Delighted to learn that the university is launching two degree programmes on ‘ocean governance’ and on ‘small island state security’ which will be unique educational opportunities in the region.

I look forward to returning to explore more of the islands and their remarkable marine life. Unfortunately, my schedule was too busy, and there wasn’t any time for snorkeling.


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Visit to Taipei, talk at Ketagalan Forum

Critical maritime infrastructure protection is a global concern, as nations worldwide face the challenge of ensuring the resilience of subsea cables and offshore infrastructure. This week, I visited Taipei to discuss how subsea data cables and offshore green energy installations can be better protected in the island’s waters. I participated in the Ketagalan Forum and met with local security experts and policy makers.

Over recent years, the island has faced a series of accidents that led to cuts in vital data cables. This has made protection a top policy priority, raising questions about how lessons from the Baltic Sea can be adapted to Taiwan.

Yet, the concern should not be with data cables alone. Like the Baltic Sea region, the waters off Taiwan have enormous wind energy potential that could, in essence, fully decarbonize the industry. However, expanding offshore wind will require attention to security concerns.

To enhance resilience, Taiwan will need to draw on international best practices: improve its connectivity, enhance surveillance of its maritime domain, criminalize tampering with infrastructure, strengthen coordination with industry, strengthen repair capacity, and engage in cable diplomacy by working closely with regional neighbors, including Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and ASEAN members, but also global partners such as the EU. Regional coast guard cooperation and information sharing, as well as joint development of surveillance technology, could be vital components of such partnerships.

While my visit was short, it provided a great opportunity to meet colleagues, make new friends, and gain a first impression of Taipei.


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New Newsletter on maritime security and ocean politics

I have launched Turbulent Seas – my new newsletter published on LinkedIn. In this new format, I will provide monthly deep dives into global maritime security developments from around the world.

In the first edition I examine recent developments in subsea data cable protection. Cable protection has become a key feature of maritime security and a lot of activities have developed over the last years.

In upcoming editions I will reflect on key developments in regions, such as the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean, but also maritime security solutions, such as coast guard cooperation, or information sharing.

Follow the newsletter here.


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New Policy Report on EU-GCC cooperation in maritime security

For effective maritime security governance, regional organizations have to work closely to ensure synergies and avoid overlap. In a new policy report published with Trends Research & Advisory (Dubai) I discuss the role of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council in the Western Indian Ocean.

Drawing on a brief discussion of how the Western Indian Ocean faces complex, evolving threats—from traditional piracy to armed attacks on shipping, climate-induced risks and vulnerability of critical infrastructure, I show how both the EU and GCC are major players in regional maritime security, but operate within a fragmented institutional landscape of overlapping mandates. Rather than consolidating institutions, success lies in embracing “adaptive patchwork governance” that leverages diversity while enhancing coordination.


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Training maritime security practitioners in Singapore

This week I have been contributing to the annual Regional Maritime Practitioner Programme (RMPP) for the fourth time. Organized by the Singapore Navy in partnership with the maritime security team at RSIS | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, RMPP is a major networking and training event for maritime security.

The event reflects that, despite being a small state, Singapore is a major maritime power. The country plays an important role in regional maritime security cooperation. It hosts the most important high-level naval gathering in the region, is known as a pioneer in regional maritime domain awareness through the Information Fusion Center (IFC), and frequently engages in and supports capacity building and training initiatives. The RMPP is one example of this.

At its core, the event is a maritime security community building initiative. It combines educational content with networking and, as the organizers call it, “the Singapore experience” – ample time for the group to explore maritime-related attractions in the garden city.

The event’s stated aim is “to enhance appreciation of the evolving regional maritime security environment and associated security challenges, to build professional knowledge and requisite skills to perform duties as a maritime security practitioner, and to forge friendships and build trust among regional maritime security practitioners.”

About half of the time is spent with lectures and group exercises, while the afternoons are reserved for excursions, including to the splendid Singapore Navy museum (worth a visit!). It also includes attendance at the Shared Awareness Meeting (SAM) through which the IFC keeps the local maritime industry informed about maritime security trends.

About 150 officials from navies, coastguards, and the maritime industry participated this year. Initiatives such as the RMPP are partially a confidence building measure, but also ensure interoperability and the relationships of trust that the IFC’s information sharing network relies on.

The direct impact of events such as RMPP is difficult to measure. Yet, it is part of a global chain of such events, which arguably have had the effect of building a strong maritime security consensus over the last decades.


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New book on global ocean regions

Our new book titled the ‘Politics of Global Ocean Regions’ is now available through Springer. Edited with Elizabeth Mendenhall and Rebecca Strating, the book advances a novel analytical framework for studying the politics of global ocean regions, shedding new light on the complex interactions in ocean spaces such as the Arctic, Indo-Pacific, and Indian Ocean.

We want to show that the oceans are not just vast expanses of blue, but dynamic political spaces shaped by complex regional dynamics. This work is the outcome of a three year research collaboration with leading experts across different ocean regions. It includes chapters by by William Waqavakatoga, Joanne Wallis, Samuel Bashfield, Leandra R. Gonçalves, Ana Flávia Barros-Platiau, Carlos Henrique Tomé, Carina Costa de Oliveira, and Andreas Østhagen, as well as by the three editors.

Written for students, researchers, and analysts interested in regionalism and ocean governance, this comprehensive study:

  • Presents a novel framework for analyzing ocean regions as political spaces
  • Examines the emergence, organization, and effects of global ocean regions
  • Demonstrates the importance and complexity of regional maritime politics
  • Provides essential insights for understanding the governance of global commons

🔗 Available now: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-88984-4 (Contact me, if you cannot access via your institution)

I hope this work will serve as an essential resource for understanding how diverse and complex regional maritime politics shape our world, providing a valuable framework to guide future research in this critical field.


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Strategic foresight seminar by the Colombian navy

This week, I had the privilege of contributing to Colombia’s Navy Strategic Foresight seminar – a fascinating glimpse into how one of South America’s most capable maritime forces is preparing for 2055.

Colombia’s unique position as a two-ocean country, with coastlines on both the Pacific and Atlantic (through the Caribbean Sea), has shaped its navy into not just South America’s largest, but a recognized regional maritime security leader. From counter-narcotics operations to counter-piracy missions in the Western Indian Ocean, and the countries role as a global partner of NATO, Colombia maintains a impressive global profile.

At the seminar I gave a lecture on the future of maritime security and participated in a round table. I emphasized Colombia’s potential to lead maritime security across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the broader Atlantic region. I also stresses the role of the navy in protecting critical maritime infrastructure – particularly as Colombia pursues its ambitious goals to become both a renewable energy powerhouse and a digital leader.

Keynote speakers and host at seminar in Bogota
Keynote speakers and organizers of the seminar, Bogota, 18.6.2025

The country’s enormous offshore wind potential and its reliance on secure subsea data cables make maritime infrastructure protection a national security imperative. It was eye-opening to see how naval strategy is evolving beyond traditional threats.

Other participants highlighted several important maritime security trends, including automation and AI integration in naval operations, proliferation of disruptive weapons and surveillance technologies, including autonomous systems, escalating cybersecurity challenges, the adaptability of criminal organizations, and the prospective threats of grey zone warfare in the region.

My time in Bogotá also provided valuable insights into Colombia’s comprehensive approach to regional security, including the innovative counter-narcotics naval campaign Orion and the regional analysis center CMCOM.


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New commentary on global responsibility to protect the sea published

My latest commentary explores a critical paradox: while all nations depend on the sea for trade, energy, and digital communication, some benefit from the sea economically more than others. Some states, such as small islands, face high risks but have few benefits. The global responsibility to protect the sea hence needs burden-sharing. Organizing this is not easy. I highlight three puzzles:

  • The governance puzzle: A plethora of international and regional organizations handle maritime security, often with overlapping mandates and competing priorities
  • The limits of capacity building: External assistance often has limited effects
  • The militarization dilemma: Naval forces are needed to combat piracy and trafficking, but can escalate geopolitical tensions

I stress that maritime challenges require innovative solutions that balance sovereignty with international cooperation. The success stories – like Seychelles’ anti-piracy efforts and the Indian Ocean Commission’s MASE structures – show what’s possible when capacity building is done right.

The commentary is published by CIMSEC as part of the 2025 African Maritime Force Summit series, and available here.


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Briefing at conference on zones of peace

On the 16th of June I had the pleasure to give a briefing at the Bahamas Conference on Zones of Peace in Global Waters organized by Bahamas and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation at the UN. Here is the write up of my intervention.

Zones of Peace as Regionalist Solutions: Navigating Global Ocean Politics

The oceans have captured significant high-level attention in recent weeks, with the UN Ocean Conference in Nice and the UN Security Council’s maritime security high-level open debate highlighting both consensus and fundamental tensions in global ocean governance. These events underscore a critical debate that has long shaped maritime policy: whether ocean challenges are better addressed through global frameworks at the UN level or through regional arrangements. The concept of zones of peace deserves recognition as a potential distinctly regionalist approach to ocean governance.

Continue reading →


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Briefing the UN Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to hold a high-level open debate on maritime security on 20.5. Initiated by the Greek presidency of the Council the event is titled “Strengthening Maritime Security through international cooperation for global stability”.

I’m delighted that the presidency has invited me to brief the Council. My presentation draws in large parts on our 2024 report ‘Securing the Seas. A comprehensive assessment of global maritime security‘ published by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), written with Tim Edmunds and Jan Stockbruegger.