The Kuala Lumpur International Conference on Piracy and Crimes at Sea took place at the Royale Chulan Hotel from 18 to 19 May 2009.

Traditionally, the waters of Southeast Asia have held a long association with piracy. However the region has now become better known for its collaborative efforts in tackling the problem. The Kuala Lumpur International Conference on Piracy and Crimes at Sea aimed to share this region’s experience in support of the global effort to combat piracy. Against the backdrop of increasing pirate activities in the Gulf of Aden, it was deemed essential that all stakeholders- governments, international organisations and the industry- explore whether lessons could be learned from the collaborative mechanisms of Southeast Asian countries.

The programme of the Conference began on the morning of the 18th May with a keynote address by the Honourable Foreign Minister of Malaysia. This was followed by six sessions, spread over the course of two days, with various presenters representing governments, international organisations, academia and the private sector, sharing their experience and expertise.

The Conference was attended by 318 officials and experts from 67 countries representing government, inter-governmental agencies, international organisations, shipping and insurance companies as well as academic institutions.