Vietnam Respect and Follow Cooperation on Seas and Ocean Issues Under UNCLOS
	International Scientific Conference on the South China Sea Opens in Quang Ninh

At the working luncheon (Photo: VNA)

On October 24, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN chaired a working luncheon with Ambassadors and representatives of the 11 founding countries of the Group of Friends on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to strengthen coordination and promote the Group's activities in the coming time.

Also attending were Nguyen Minh Vu, Assistant to the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Director General of the East Sea Institute, Diplomatic Academy, Vietnam's candidate for the position of Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term; Marcin Czepelak, Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and a number of experts from the PCA.

Addressing the gathering marking the 30th anniversary of the Convention's entry into force, Giang expressed his delight at the group's remarkable growth over the past three years, with its current membership exceeding 120 and engaging in a wide range of activities. At the same time, he thanked the support and close coordination of key countries in promoting and upholding the value, integrity, and universality of UNCLOS in the negotiation processes at the United Nations in recent times.

Assistant to the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed that over the past three decades, the UNCLOS has served as a solid legal framework to foster cooperation and ensure the legitimate rights and interests of nations at sea, contributing to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of seas, oceans, and marine resources.

Ambassadors and representatives of countries welcomed the core and leading role of Vietnam in recent times, which has effectively contributed to enhancing the role and image of the Group of Friends at the United Nations. They affirmed that the activities of the Group have created a forum for exchanging and discussing diverse aspects of sea management and use, further reinforcing the value of the UNCLOS in tackling new maritime challenges.

During the working luncheon, delegates also discussed recent important developments in the field of oceans and maritime law such as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and the challenges posed by climate change and sea level rise to the international legal framework on the sea.

The PCA Secretary-General stressed that the comprehensiveness of the maritime dispute settlement mechanism in UNCLOS and BBNJ shows the potential of these procedures in assisting countries in finding solutions to differences in the interpretation and implementation of legal provisions in maritime delimitation and management.

Giang and Vu called on the founding countries to continue sharing ideas to further enhance the role of the Group in promoting and affirming the value and vitality of the UNCLOS, especially as the convention marks its 30th anniversary this year.

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