HANOI, 1st July, 2022 (WAM) — Vietnamese representatives reaffirmed their country’s commitments to develop blue and sustainable oceans when attending the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) concluding today in Lisbon, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
Addressing the UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14): Conserve, sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu emphasised the need to fully and effectively implement the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – a comprehensive legal framework for all activities at sea and a prerequisite for ensuring peace, security and prosperity, as well as the effective implementation of SDG14.
Vietnam supports negotiations to build new legal frameworks in line with the UNCLOS, including a document on biodiversity of areas outside national jurisdiction and a global agreement on ocean plastic waste, Hieu said, highlighting the nation s efforts over the past time in joining hands with the international community to deal with marine issues.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, said that in recent years, Vietnam had made efforts to carry out the SDG14, including implementing the strategy on the sustainable development of Vietnam’s marine economy to 2030.
To respond to marine challenges, it is necessary to promote the implementation of international conventions, take advantage of scientific and technological developments, and conduct new research.
The Vietnamese delegation also called for strengthening international cooperation, technology transfer and expertise sharing, especially for developing countries, and enhancing the scientific content in marine policy planning and implementation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made four proposals to help tackle the current ocean emergency, including investing in a sustainable economy, using the ocean as a model for managing global issues, protecting the oceans and those depending on them, and investing in early warning systems to protect coastal communities.
The UN conference attracts the participation of nearly 20 heads of state, nearly 100 foreign, environment and natural resources ministers, and thousands of representatives from countries, international organisations, and related parties.