Al Sowaidi was speaking at the DIMDEX 2008 Maritime Defence Conference at the Doha Exhibitions Centre. “The naval force should be able to avail of a host country’s naval facilities,” said Al Sowaidi.
The officer said there was a lack of coordination between the GCC states and non-GCC members, namely Iran and Iraq. “Navies are performing additional tasks with limited resources, normally handled by other government agencies. With respect to the Coast Guard, it might be useful to consider the creation of two-tier navies,” he said.
One tier, in that case, would be firmly on the frontline while the second section would work with the Coast Guard, he said, adding there was a need for additional equipment, manpower and training.
There was a need for tight security in the region, said Al Sowaidi, observing 17 to 20 million barrels of oil were passing through the Straits of Hormuz every day, a figure which would soon go up to 34 million. "In 2006, 2.9 Deadweight Tonnes (DWT) passed through the Straits of Hormuz and 750 million tonnes of crude exported."
Identifying major security issues as being threats, threat assessments, and a lack of credible intelligence on terrorism as well as other factors like environmental factors, Al Sowaidi said there was a need for increased alertness in the region.
“In the next decade, around $ 100bn will be spent to increase the number of desalination plants from the present 30, which can be affected by disruptions. Also, there are 800 offshore installations in the Gulf,’ said Al Sowaidi.
He called for the introduction of a space-based surveillance system which would be able to track dangerous cargo. "The surveillance system would cover a wide area and have a specific area focus. It should be based in a GCC country and others will be able to receive data in near real time," he said.
National crisis management centres should have their powers vested with the highest civilian authority. “There is also a need to coordinate with regional centres. The international community must ensure the Gulf remains free from conflicts," he said.