Participants at the workshop (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an important legal instrument toregulate maritime issues and ensure legitimate rights and interests ofcountries, heard the second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop on implementingUNCLOS in Hanoi on November 13.
The co-Chairs of the workshop - Director of theDepartment of Law and International Treaty under Vietnam’s Ministry of ForeignAffairs Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Deborah Paul, and EUAmbassador to Vietnam Giorgio Aliberti - affirmed the crucial role of theUNCLOS in managing activities of nations at sea over the past 25 years.
They also affirmed that the convention is alsoan important framework for countries to address disputes and enhance maritimecooperation.
Based on the convention, a number of initiativeshave been proposed to promote cooperation between ASEAN member nations, andbetween the bloc and its dialogue partners to cope with marine securitychallenges.
During the two-day workshop, participants focusdiscussions on measures to increase the efficiency of implementing the UNCLOSand related international legal documents in addressing maritime challengessuch as sovereignty disputes, delimitation of maritime boundary, lawenforcement at sea, maritime pollution, and climate change as well as terrorismand piracy.
They will also exchange views on newdevelopments in the interpretation of the UNCLOS, share experience and newrealities in law enforcement at sea and put forth recommendations to furtherreinforce cooperation between nations and strengthen the role of mechanisms andframeworks in sea and ocean governance.
The second ARF workshop on implementing UNCLOSand other international instruments to address emerging maritime issues saw theparticipation of over 100 officials and experts on marine management from 20ARF members. It is a follow-up activity of the first ARF workshop on the sametheme held in Nha Trang city in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa inFebruary 2019 and ARF workshops on the UNCLOS in 2011 and 2014.
Established in 1994, the ARF aims to buildtrust and enhance dialogues in the region with ASEAN being the centre. A total of27 countries and international organisations are participating in the forum, ofwhich Vietnam is one of the founding members./.
VNA
