Philippines to States Parties: Always Uphold UNCLOS as the True Constitution of the Oceans 

Deputy Permanent Representative Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda addresses Ambassador Holger Martinsen of Argentina, President of the 31st Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on the Report of the Secretary General (Agenda 13).(Photo from NYPM)

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 28 June 2021– At the 31st Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines stated that “the deterioration of the oceans’ health should serve as a continuing reminder to all States Parties to always uphold the UNCLOS as the true constitution of the oceans.” Speaking on behalf of the Philippines, Deputy Permanent Representative Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, added that such a call is relevant and timely “particularly in addressing the drivers that apply pressure on it, including the settlement of regional disputes.”

According to DPR Peñaranda, “as an archipelagic country, the Philippines is bound to the world’s oceans, just as its economy is tied to the global fisheries sector, the global value chain in shipbuilding, and the global seafaring and maritime labor, which were all profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

DPR Peñaranda also stressed the Philippines’ deep concern over the impact of the pandemic on the implementation of the UNCLOS and the oceans-related processes within the UN. He cited, among others, the postponement of negotiations on a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

He highlighted the impact of regional disputes and geopolitical instabilities on the health of the oceans citing the second World Oceans Assessment, which found that in regions where there is conflict over access to resources and maritime boundaries, policies and agreements focused on sustainability can be undermined.

“Regional disputes and geopolitical instabilities may impede the implementation of global and regional treaties and agreements, thereby affecting economic growth, the transfer of technologies and the implementation of frameworks for managing ocean use,” DPR Peñaranda explained.

The Meeting of States Parties on UNCLOS considered, among other things, the report of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea; information provided by the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority and the Chairman of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the activities of these bodies; as well as the Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on issues of a general nature, relevant to States Parties, that have arisen with respect to the UNCLOS. END

For more information, visit https://www.un.int/philippines/