States Parties to United Nations Convention on Law of Sea Will Hold Twenty-Eighth Meeting at Headquarters, 11-14 June

NEW YORK, 6 June (Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea) — The twenty-eighth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea will be held at United Nations Headquarters from 11 to 14 June.

Often referred to as “the constitution for the oceans”, the Convention was opened for signature on 10 December 1982 and entered into force on 16 November 1994.  Its 320 articles and 9 annexes govern all aspects of ocean space and maritime issues, from navigational rights, maritime limits and marine scientific research to resource management, marine environment protection and dispute settlement.

The implementation of the Convention is supported by three bodies established on its basis, namely the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (www.itlos.org), International Seabed Authority (www.isa.org.jm) and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm).

The upcoming annual Meeting of States Parties will consider the report of the Tribunal, budgetary matters of the Tribunal, including draft budget proposals of the Tribunal for the financial period 2019‑2020 and information reported by the Secretary-General of the Authority and by the Chairman of the Commission.  It will also address the issue of the conditions of service of the members of the Commission.  In addition, the Meeting will consider the reports of the Secretary‑General (documents A/72/70/Add.1 and A/73/68) under article 319 for the information of States parties on issues of a general nature, relevant to States Parties, which have arisen with respect to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The provisional agenda of the twenty-eighth Meeting of States Parties is contained in document SPLOS/L.79.

For more information on the Meeting, including documents, please see the website of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, at www.un.org/Depts/los/meeting_states_parties/twentyseventhmeetingstatesparties.htm.