Professor briefs UN Security Council on maritime security

At the invitation of the Greek Presidency of the UN Security Council, Christian Bueger, professor at the Department of Political Science, briefed the Council at a high-level debate in New York on 20 May.

‘It is necessary for the Council to engage more consistently and systematically in maritime security and overcome the current ad hoc approach,’ Christian Bueger points out, elaborating:

‘This will not only contribute to more effective combating of blue crime, such as piracy, smuggling or irregular migration, but also to deal with arising challenges, such as the proliferation of autonomous weapon systems, maritime cyber security, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure.’

Everyone depends on the sea

In his briefing, Christian Bueger drew on his new book, Understanding Maritime Security (Oxford University Press, 2024, co-authored with Tim Edmunds), a report published by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the work of the research group on maritime infrastructure funded by the Velux Foundation.

‘Addressing the highest authority for international security and assisting the Council in charting new courses is a special honour for any security studies scholar. It proves that research can make significant contributions to international policy debates,’ he emphasises.

Christian Bueger believes that maritime security is often not given the attention that it deserves.

‘We should not forget that we are all dependent on the sea in one way or another – for trade, energy, food or digital communication. This is particularly true for a maritime nation, such as Denmark, and I hope that the government will strongly support the Council's maritime security process while being a member of it,’ he urges.

Watch the entire Christian Bueger briefing here.