The great contribution of UNCLOS to international peace and freedom of navigation

At the meeting, countries and representatives of organizations expressed their respect and called for preserving and complying with commitments that are guidelines in international maritime activities. Vietnam speaks as a representative of the Friends group Law of the Sea Convention.

On April 30, 1982, the Law of the Sea Convention was officially adopted by the United Nations General Assembly with 130 votes in favor of 151 countries voting. For Professor Tommy Koh, who chaired the session that day, this was a very important milestone for world peace and security.

Professor Tommy Koh, President of the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, stated: “We should appreciate the Convention for many reasons. First of all, UNCLOS put an end to a chaotic and non-multilateral period on the issue of the law of the sea. The most obvious is the 50s, 60s and 70s. In that context, UNCLOS should be seen as a constitution for international navigation.”

UNCLOS is considered the second most important international legal document after the United Nations Charter, after World War II. After 40 years, the number of countries that have signed and ratified the Convention has increased to 162. This further confirms the legal correctness of the convention.

Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, said: “Let us work together for many years to come for the success of UNCLOS, for its commitment to the principles and values ​​of pluralism. Let’s strengthen our commitments and protect our oceans.”

Joining UNCLOS from the very beginning, Vietnam again joined the founding of the Friends of the Law of the Sea in 2021. Speaking as the group’s representative, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang said that UNCLOS has helped the world achieve many steps. into maritime administration. However, many new challenges lie ahead. Therefore, in addition to strictly complying with the Convention, there should be more ideas to strengthen cooperation.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, said: “We have established the Friends of UNCLOS group with the aim of further promoting our commitments and the implementation of the Convention. Nearly 120 members of the group are working to improve understanding of UNCLOS and its application in maritime practice, explore opportunities for cooperation, and identify challenges and possible assistance. in the implementation of the Convention”.

Over 40 years, UNCLOS may not have resolved all disagreements, but its basic principles have been used effectively to resolve or control dozens of maritime disputes around the world. Many countries have had to adjust their domestic laws to be more consistent with UNCLOS. This is the great value that UNCLOS contributes to international peace and freedom of navigation.

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