Maritime and Big Rivers

Customs and Trade Challenges for Border Security Florence Chidi Emmanuel (Igbasi) Superintendent of Customs /Nigeria Customs Service

Advancing Maritime Border Security through an Ecosystem Approach Tharindu Jayawardhane National Programme Officer, /Immigration and Border Governance, International Organization for Migration, Sri Lanka

Vice Admiral Robert Patrimonio Commander, Maritime Security Law Enforcement Command /Philippines Coast Guard

Rivers create a particular set of problems for border management. Rivers can flow hundreds and thousands of kilometres from the ocean into national territories. Indeed, rivers make up 23 percent of all international borders.
South America has the largest number of international borders made up by rivers—nearly half. Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French, Guiana, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. On the Indian subcontinent the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus are shared with neighbouring countries, India Nepal, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
As an example of the complexity the Danube can be navigated by ocean going vessels from the Black Sea 2,400 km into the very heart of Europe, passing through or making up part of the border of ten of those countries.
So, how do you manage the intersection of rivers, seas and oceans and the multi-national and multi-jurisdictional complexity of this most challenging of border domains.