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 multilevel
governance of maritime security in the Sulu-Celebes Sea Tri-
Border Area, noting the interdependencies within its terrestrial maritime
environments. It draws on the lessons of multi-level
governance practices in the Baltic Sea region. A multi-level
governance framework of maritime security in the Baltic Sea
region is elaborated to identify the key characteristics of multilevel
governance that are important prerequisites for an
integrated (land-sea) nexus in maritime security management.
Through the examination of the functionality of these
characteristics in the Sulu-Celebes Sea, the paper discusses the
implications of the existence, and or the lack, of these main
characteristics of a functional multi-level governance and assesses
the prospects of such governance within the Sulu-Celebes Sea.
The ‘common seas’ nature of the semi-enclosed sea and the
entanglement of transboundary, land-maritime dimensions of the
maritime security challenges imply the need for a distinct form of
governance, for which the Baltic Sea region can provide lessons
learnt.