Participants at the workshop

It was heard the second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop on implementing UNCLOS in Hanoi on November 13

The co-Chairs of the workshop - Director of the Department of Law and International Treaty under Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Deborah Paul, and EU Ambassador to Vietnam Giorgio Aliberti - affirmed the crucial role of the UNCLOS in managing activities of nations at sea over the past 25 years.

They also affirmed that the convention is also an important framework for countries to address disputes and enhance maritime cooperation.

Based on the convention, a number of initiatives have been proposed to promote cooperation between ASEAN member nations, and between the bloc and its dialogue partners to cope with marine security challenges.

During the two-day workshop, participants focus discussions on measures to increase the efficiency of implementing the UNCLOS and related international legal documents in addressing maritime challenges such as sovereignty disputes, delimitation of maritime boundary, law enforcement at sea, maritime pollution, and climate change as well as terrorism and piracy.

They will also exchange views on new developments in the interpretation of the UNCLOS, share experience and new realities in law enforcement at sea and put forth recommendations to further reinforce cooperation between nations and strengthen the role of mechanisms and frameworks in sea and ocean governance.

The second ARF workshop on implementing UNCLOS and other international instruments to address emerging maritime issues saw the participation of over 100 officials and experts on marine management from 20 ARF members. It is a follow-up activity of the first ARF workshop on the same theme held in Nha Trang city in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa in February 2019 and ARF workshops on the UNCLOS in 2011 and 2014.

Established in 1994, the ARF aims to build trust and enhance dialogues in the region with ASEAN being the centre. A total of 27 countries and international organisations are participating in the forum, of which Vietnam is one of the founding members./.VNA