Appreciating the value of UNCLOS, Vietnam actively promotes maritime and ocean cooperation

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, along with representatives from the Government Office, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security and the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and also the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's official ratification of the Convention.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu speaks at the SPLOS-34 Conference. (Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA)

Through its participation, speeches and discussions at the Conference, Vietnam affirmed its role as an active and responsible member of the international community, one of the leading countries in promoting, respecting and implementing the Convention; contributing to the common efforts of the international community in the management and sustainable use of seas and oceans, resolving disputes by peaceful means, responding to climate change and promoting sustainable development.

Speaking at the Conference, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu emphasized the role and importance of the Convention as the “Constitution of the Ocean” - a comprehensive legal document regulating all activities of countries in the field of seas and oceans, and an important basis for implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.

In addition, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu highlighted a number of emerging challenges to the implementation of the Convention in recent times, such as marine environmental pollution, overexploitation of marine resources and marine resources, the development of new marine technology, the development of various types of maritime crimes, escalating regional tensions, global hotspots, and unilateral actions by countries that threaten maritime safety and security.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu speaks at the SPLOS-34 Conference. (Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA)

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu informed the Conference about Vietnam's efforts and achievements in implementing the Convention, especially recently, Vietnam was one of the first countries to sign the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), actively participated in the process of seeking advice from the Tribunal on the Law of the Sea on climate change as well as the results of Vietnam's maritime cooperation with countries in the region.

The head of the Vietnamese delegation affirmed that a peaceful and stable environment for sustainable development in the East Sea can only be ensured when countries establish their maritime zones in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS Convention and seriously exercise sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction under the Convention as well as maintain self-restraint to jointly resolve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS; affirmed that Vietnam always strives with countries in the region to promote respect for the Convention, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and make efforts to negotiate to achieve a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.

In addition to the general issues of respecting and implementing the Convention, the Vietnamese delegation also assessed that the agencies established under the Convention have made important contributions to establishing legal order in the field of seas and oceans, maintaining peace and maritime security and achieving many results in the past year, including the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and the Seabed Authority (ISA).

Vietnamese delegation attending SPLOS-34 Conference. (Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA)

Specifically, the Head of the Vietnamese delegation continued to affirm the role of ITLOS in peacefully resolving disputes related to the application and interpretation of the Convention, calling on member states of the Convention to resolve disputes, conflicts and differences by peaceful means, seriously implementing the judgments and decisions of ITLOS as well as the dispute settlement mechanisms stipulated in the Convention.

Vietnam recognizes the growing role of ITLOS in contributing to the interpretation of the provisions of the Convention through the process of resolving disputes between States Parties to the Convention.

The process of issuing ITLOS advisory opinions in recent times has clarified many provisions of the Convention, especially the issuance of advisory opinions on climate change on 21 May 2024.

The Vietnamese delegation affirmed the importance of determining the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles; contributing to clarifying the boundary between the continental shelf of the Convention member countries and the international ocean floor area, creating conditions for full and effective implementation of the Convention's regulations on management and equitable sharing of benefits and mineral resources in this area.

On this basis, Vietnam calls for practical measures to be taken to accelerate the CLCS process of considering the submitted reports on the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

The Vietnamese delegation welcomed the ISA Council for its roadmap to complete the development of the Regulation on the exploitation of minerals in the international ocean floor area, affirming that exploitation must ensure the protection of the marine environment and fair sharing of benefits; mentioned the active participation and contribution of Vietnamese members at the ISA Legal and Technical Committee (LTC); and called on ISA to continue capacity building activities for developing countries, especially in scientific research and technology application.

On the occasion of the Conference, the Vietnamese delegation had meetings and contacts on the sidelines with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Chief Justice of ITLOS, President of CLCS and a number of delegations attending the Conference, including: Philippines, Laos, Malaysia... to inform, exchange issues of mutual concern and promote cooperation activities on seas and oceans in the coming time.

SPLOS is an annual Conference, convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as prescribed in the UNCLOS Convention.

This is an important forum for member states to exchange and discuss the UN Secretary-General's report on seas and oceans and the activities of agencies established under the Convention, including the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, and the Seabed Authority.

The Conference also heard and discussed reports on the organization of work and budget of the bodies established under the Convention.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/danh-gia-cao-gia-tri-cua-unclos-viet-nam-tich-cuc-thuc-day-hop-tac-bien-va-dai-duong-325938.html