ABSTRACT
Small island developing states (SIDS) are true ocean states, many even being large ocean states. They now exercise sovereignty rights and national jurisdiction over vast maritime domains that are significantly larger than their land territories (in many cases thousand times larger), but they usually have limited capacity to monitor, control and defend this maritime space. This chapter addresses maritime security issues and challenges in SIDS in a general manner. It considers threats and risks associated with traditional national security, marine environment, economic development and human security, as well as the SIDS capacities and strategies to cope with their maritime security needs. Maritime security is thereby discussed in relation to blue economy, sustainable development, capacity-building and cooperation. The chapter concludes that maritime security has recently emerged as a pressing national security matter for SIDS and that it will certainly continue to be so in the foreseeable future.
