Resumed Thirty-Third Meeting of States Parties to United Nations Convention on Law of Sea to Be Held at Headquarters, 28 November

The thirty-third Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea will be resumed at Headquarters on 28 November, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., for the purpose of filling seats in the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf allocated to the members of the Commission from Eastern European States.

The thirty-third Meeting of States Parties was originally convened from 12 to 16 June.

The election procedure and the list of candidates nominated for election are set out in two notes by the Secretary-General, documents SPLOS/33/17 and SPLOS/33/18, respectively.

For further information on the Meeting, including its documents, the statement of qualifications and full curriculum vitae of the candidate that was nominated, the submission of credentials, as well as the modalities of the Meeting and the election, 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/resumedthirtythirdmeetingstateparties.htm.

The Convention, which entered into force on 16 November 1994, governs 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 Convention was opened for signature on 10 December 1982. It entered into force on 16 November 1994.  The Convention, comprising 320 articles and nine annexes, is often referred to as the “constitution for the oceans”, as it sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out and is of strategic importance as the basis for national, regional and global action and cooperation in the marine sector.  Over the years, the Convention has made, together with its implementing Agreements, a pre-eminent contribution to the strengthening of peace, security, cooperation and friendly relations among all nations in conformity with the principles of justice and equal rights and to the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples of the world.  This contribution is in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as to the sustainable development of the oceans and seas.