Capacity-Building in Ocean Affairs, Law of the Sea, Including Marine Science,

 

to Be Focus of Discussions at United Nations Headquarters, 21–25 June

 

NEW YORK, 18 June (Office of legal Affairs) — To confront growing threats and pressures from a wide range of issues facing the world’s oceans, countries will discuss ways to build up their capacities to address ocean affairs and the law of the sea, including marine science, at a meeting to be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 21 to 25 June.

A lack of capacity can limit the ability of States, particularly developing countries, to protect the oceans and their resources from a wide variety of threats and pressures, such as marine pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change, crimes at sea and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Countries participating in the Eleventh Meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (the “Informal Consultative Process”), will explore how to improve national and regional capabilities, including institution-building for effective implementation of the Law of the Sea, as well as measures for enhanced cooperation and coordination at all levels.

In his annual report to the General Assembly on oceans and the law of the sea, the Secretary-General states that “in view also of the interconnectivity of the oceans, assistance aimed at strengthening capacities to manage ocean-related activities in a sustainable manner can ultimately benefit all States.”  He notes, however, that despite the efforts of States and international organizations, limitations on existing capacity and challenges in the delivery of effective capacity-building continue to exist.

He continues:  “These limitations and challenges may constrain the potential for States, in particular developing countries, especially the least developed among them and the small island developing States, to benefit from the oceans and seas and their resources, pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  They can also adversely affect the ability of States to effectively implement the Convention and other legal instruments.”

Experts at the upcoming Meeting will assess capacity-building needs in the area of ocean affairs and the law of the sea, including marine science; consider current capacity-building activities/initiatives, including transfer of technology; examine the challenges for achieving effective capacity-building, including the transfer of technology; and consider new approaches, best practices and opportunities for improved capacity-building.  A number of eminent panellists will launch the discussions on those issues.

In relation to its future work, the Informal Consultative Process will consider the process for selecting topics and panellists in order to facilitate the work of the General Assembly,as well as issues that could benefit from attention in the Assembly’s future work on ocean affairs and the law of the sea.

Background

The General Assembly established the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea in 1999, so as to facilitate its annual review of developments in ocean affairs and the law of the sea and suggest particular issues for its consideration, with an emphasis on identifying areas where intergovernmental and inter-agency coordination and cooperation should be enhanced (resolution 54/33).  The Assembly extended the mandate of the Informal Consultative Process for consecutive three-year periods in its resolutions 57/141 and 60/30, and for a further two-year period in resolution 63/111.  It will further review the effectiveness and utility of the Informal Consultative Process at its sixty-fifth session.

In its resolution 64/71 of 4 December 2009, the General Assembly recognizes the primary role of the Informal Consultative Process in integrating knowledge, in the exchange of opinions among multiple stakeholders and coordination among competent agencies, and in enhancing awareness of topics, including emerging issues, while promoting the three pillars of sustainable development.

Each year the Assembly decides the topic(s) that the Informal Consultative Process should address.  There will be an opportunity to discuss the topic of focus for the Eleventh Meeting in the panel and in plenary sessions.  The Meeting will benefit from a presentation by UN-Oceans — the Organization’s inter-agency coordination mechanism on oceans and coastal issues — on the capacity-building activities of its members.

Paul Badji (Senegal) and Don Mackay (New Zealand), Co-Chairpersons of the Informal Consultative Process, proposed the format and annotated provisional agenda for the Meeting (document A/AC.259/L.11), following consultations with delegations and an informal preparatory meeting held at Headquarters on 18 March.

The Meeting will base its discussions on the report of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea (document A/65/69), which describes the capacity-building needs of States; examines the means for implementing capacity-building activities and initiatives; and highlights implementation challenges and opportunities on the way forward.  The Meeting will also feature a number of informal side events.

For abstracts of presentations and additional information on preparations for the meeting, see the website of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the law of the sea website at:  http://www.un.org/Depts/los/consultative_process/ consultative_process.htm.

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For information media • not an official record