Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc joined officials fromAsian and African countries bordering the Pacific and Indian Oceans at aforum in Jakarta on April 21 to discuss policies, experience andchallenges in sea and ocean management to realise sustainabledevelopment goals (SDGs).
The function was held on the sidelines of the Asian-African Conference in the Indonesian capital city.
Seas and oceans play a vital role in the sustainable development ofall countries, especially coastal and island nations. As such, one ofthe SDGs expected to be ratified by the United Nations this September isto conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources forsustainable development.
Deputy Minister Ngoc calledupon Asian and African countries to actively engage in the design of apost-2015 development agenda including sea- and ocean-related goals;increasing cooperation in using marine resources sustainably; compliancewith international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (UNCLOS 1982); and ensuring navigation freedom, security andsafety.
To protect seas and oceans for futuregenerations, he also appealed to countries to effectively cope withregional challenges, including in the East Sea, such as threats tomaritime safety and security, reclamation activities that go againstinternational law, alter the status quo and increase tension.
Participants agreed that countries need to effectively manage fishingactivities, prevent marine environment pollution and adhere to theUNCLOS 1982.
They also urged coordination in addressing climate change, overfishing, piracy and sea and island disputes.
While representatives of Indonesia, Timor Lester, Morocco, andMadagascar described the UNCLOS 1982 as the cornerstone of maritimecooperation, those from the Philippines said reclamation activities poseserious harm to coral reefs, marine creatures and the environment.-VNA
The function was held on the sidelines of the Asian-African Conference in the Indonesian capital city.
Seas and oceans play a vital role in the sustainable development ofall countries, especially coastal and island nations. As such, one ofthe SDGs expected to be ratified by the United Nations this September isto conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources forsustainable development.
Deputy Minister Ngoc calledupon Asian and African countries to actively engage in the design of apost-2015 development agenda including sea- and ocean-related goals;increasing cooperation in using marine resources sustainably; compliancewith international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (UNCLOS 1982); and ensuring navigation freedom, security andsafety.
To protect seas and oceans for futuregenerations, he also appealed to countries to effectively cope withregional challenges, including in the East Sea, such as threats tomaritime safety and security, reclamation activities that go againstinternational law, alter the status quo and increase tension.
Participants agreed that countries need to effectively manage fishingactivities, prevent marine environment pollution and adhere to theUNCLOS 1982.
They also urged coordination in addressing climate change, overfishing, piracy and sea and island disputes.
While representatives of Indonesia, Timor Lester, Morocco, andMadagascar described the UNCLOS 1982 as the cornerstone of maritimecooperation, those from the Philippines said reclamation activities poseserious harm to coral reefs, marine creatures and the environment.-VNA
