The 7th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF-7) opens in the central city of Da Nang on December 6.(Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – The 7thExpanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF-7) was opened in the central city of DaNang on December 6, gathering over 90 governmental officials and scholars from ten ASEAN nations and eightASEAN Dialogue Partners.
Sea and oceanplay a crucial part in every nation around the world, and marine cooperation has always been given high priority in regionalcooperation mechanism, programmes and plans, Vietnamese Deputy Ministerof Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung stated in his opening remarks at the event.
Dung recognized progress in regional martimecooperation over recent years, highlighting initiatives to response to marineenvironmental pollution, manage ocean waste, combat illegal fishing andsustainably use marine resources.
He alsooutlined multiple challenges facing the region, including transnationalorganised crime at sea, marine pollution, ocean acidification, security andsafety of fishermen and seafarers andescalating tension at sea, particularly in the East Sea.
Thesechallenges are hampering potential and prospects for maritime partnership inthe region, the deputy FM said.
He askedparticipating countries to comprehensively review the maritime cooperation inrecent years and recommend ways to beef up maritime ties in the coming time. Healso called for the forum’sgreater role in coordinating martime cooperation in the region.
Theparticipating nations should also review the adherence to the 1982 UN Conventionon the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) anddiscuss ways to ensure all maritime activities on regional waters comply with it, he added.
The EAMF-7 isscheduled to include an open discussion on the 25-year enforcement of the 1982 UNCLOS,and a closed session to exchange views on the regional maritime security andpartnership and to consider recommendations and new initiatives on maritime issues.
The EAMF wasfirst launched in 2012./.
VNA
