Prospects for multi-level governance of maritime security in the Sulu-Celebes Sea: lessons from the Baltic Sea region

This paper assesses the prospects for the implementation of multilevelgovernance of maritime security in the Sulu-Celebes Sea Tri-Border Area, noting the interdependencies within its terrestrialmaritimeenvironments. It draws on the lessons of multi-levelgovernance practices in the Baltic Sea region. A multi-levelgovernance framework of maritime security in the Baltic Searegion is elaborated to identify the key characteristics of multilevelgovernance that are important prerequisites for anintegrated (land-sea) nexus in maritime security management.Through the examination of the functionality of thesecharacteristics in the Sulu-Celebes Sea, the paper discusses theimplications of the existence, and or the lack, of these maincharacteristics of a functional multi-level governance and assessesthe prospects of such governance within the Sulu-Celebes Sea.The ‘common seas’ nature of the semi-enclosed sea and theentanglement of transboundary, land-maritime dimensions of themaritime security challenges imply the need for a distinct form ofgovernance, for which the Baltic Sea region can provide lessonslearnt.