Oceans and Law of the Sea

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for World Oceans Day, observed on 8 June:

Today in Geneva, Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally adopted by consensus the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by Governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The head of the United Nations told the Security Council today that the “basic condition” for preserving maritime security is that all States respect international law, following which speakers in a day-long debate urged cooperation to address common challenges in this domain.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council high-level open debate on maritime security, in New York today:

The commission tasked with preparing for the entry into force of a new treaty on marine biodiversity concluded its first session today, completing its deliberations on issues including governance, the instrument’s Clearing-House Mechanism, financial and procedural rules, subsidiary bodies established by the accord and arrangements to enhance cooperation with other bodies.

The commission charged with preparing for the entry into force of a new treaty on marine biodiversity continued its first session today, with delegates resuming consideration of modalities for the operation of the instrument’s Clearing-House Mechanism and exchanging views on issues to discuss during the body’s second session in August.

The commission responsible for preparing for the entry into force of a new treaty on marine biodiversity continued its first session today, with speakers urging gender balance and equitable geographic representation in the membership of subsidiary bodies established under the accord and commenting on modalities for the instrument’s Clearing-House Mechanism.

The commission tasked with preparing for the entry into force of a new treaty on marine biodiversity continued its first session today, tackling matters such as how the accord’s Clearing-House Mechanism will function, where the agreement’s secretariat will be based and what rules of procedure should govern the various subsidiary bodies established under the instrument.

The commission tasked with preparing for the entry into force of a new treaty on marine biodiversity began today the second and final week of its first session, resuming its discussions on financial rules to govern the instrument’s operationalization, provisions concerning the Global Environment Facility trust fund and rules of procedure for bodies established under the accord.

The commission assigned to prepare for the entry into force of a high-seas biodiversity treaty continued its first session today, addressing financial rules governing the instrument’s operationalization. Among the key proposals presented were consideration of the special circumstances of small island developing States and least developed countries, as well as a multi-year budget cycle.