New York (VNA) – Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu has been elected Chair of the ongoing 35th meeting of the States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (SPLOS 35) which opened in New York on June 23.
The five-day meeting is attracting the participation of representatives from 170 member countries, observer states, heads of agencies established under the Convention, and relevant international organisations.
In his remarks following his election and assumption of this role, Vu emphasised the positive developments in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and global ocean governance in recent times. He highlighted the success of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), held earlier this month in Nice, France, and ongoing efforts to speed up the entry into force of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
In the context of oceans facing serious challenges such as marine pollution, the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and the depletion of marine resources, he called on countries to uphold multilateralism, engage in discussions with a spirit of cooperation and constructiveness, and actively propose measures to promote the effective implementation of UNCLOS.
He also stressed the need to enhance the performance of institutions established under the Convention, thereby reinforcing the role and vitality of UNCLOS, referred to as the “Constitution for the Oceans,” in maintaining maritime order, conserving and sustainably utilising marine resources, and contributing to global peace, stability, and sustainable development.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Elinor Hammarskjöld affirmed that 43 years after its adoption, UNCLOS continues to serve as the legal framework governing all activities in the seas and oceans. She emphasised that the universal value and integrity of the Convention have been consistently reaffirmed across various relevant forums and mechanisms within the UN system in recent times, including the UNOC 3, the Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP), and the BBNJ Preparatory Commission.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the meeting, the Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised that Vietnam's assumption of the Chairmanship of the most important annual meeting on UNCLOS implementation for the first time holds great significance, as it reflects the high level of trust and confidence that countries place in Vietnam's capacity to lead and coordinate multilateral processes and mechanisms within the UN framework.
He noted that this milestone demonstrates the international community's recognition and appreciation of Vietnam’s role and contributions to joint efforts in promoting the implementation of the Convention and advancing global ocean governance.
UNCLOS that regulates all maritime activities was adopted on December 10, 1982, and officially came into force on November 16, 1994. Vietnam was one of the first 107 countries to sign and later ratify the Convention on June 23, 1994. At present, it has 170 member states.
SPLOS is an annual conference convened by the UN Secretary-General under the provisions of UNCLOS. It is an essential forum where all member states review the implementation of the Convention, discuss emerging issues in its application, and make decisions on necessary measures to enhance its enforcement and global ocean governance./.
