Activities Marking Thirtieth Anniversary of Opening for Signature of Convention

on Law of the Sea to Conclude with High-level Plenary, 10 December

 

NEW YORK, 23 January (Office of Legal Affairs) — In resolution 66/231 of 24 December 2011, on oceans and the law of the sea, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to organize activities to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  It also invited States, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other relevant bodies, in accordance with the practices of the United Nations, to support these activities.

The Convention was opened for signature on 10 December 1982 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, entered into force on 16 November 1994, and to date it has 162 parties, including the European Union.  Often referred to as the “constitution for the oceans”, it provides the comprehensive legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.

The Secretary-General, through the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, will organize activities to mark the thirtieth anniversary throughout the year, concluding with a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly on 10 December 2012.

The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea website (http://www.un.org/depts/los/index.htm) may be consulted for information on the commemorative activities.

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For information media • not an official record