Vietnam holds the presidency of the Conference of States Parties to UNCLOS for the first time

At the opening session of the 35th Conference of States Parties to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (SPLOS 35) on June 23 in New York (USA), Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu - Head of the Vietnamese delegation - was elected as the Conference's Chairman. This is the first time Vietnam has held the highest executive position at the most important annual mechanism for the implementation of UNCLOS, demonstrating Vietnam's prestige and increasingly proactive and positive contributions to global ocean governance.

The 35th SPLOS Conference was attended by 170 member states, observer states, leaders of agencies established under UNCLOS and representatives of many relevant international organizations.

According to information from the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, at the opening session, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation, was unanimously elected by the member states of the Convention to the position of Chairman of SPLOS 35.

Chairman of SPLOS 35 Nguyen Minh Vu speaks at the Conference. (Photo: Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations)

Speaking after being elected and starting to chair the Conference, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu emphasized the positive progress in implementing UNCLOS and global ocean governance in recent times, especially the success of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice, France in June 2025 and efforts to promote the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Seas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) to come into effect soon.

In the context of the seas and oceans facing many serious challenges such as marine environmental pollution, impacts of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and depletion of marine resources, the President of the Conference called on countries to promote multilateralism, participate in discussions in a cooperative and constructive spirit, and actively propose measures to promote the implementation of UNCLOS and enhance the effectiveness of the agencies established under the Convention. Thereby, strengthening the role and vitality of the Convention - the "Charter of the Ocean" in maintaining order at sea, conserving and sustainably using marine resources, contributing to maintaining and strengthening peace, stability and sustainable development globally.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General at the Conference, Ms. Elinor Hammarskjöld, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs of the United Nations, affirmed that 43 years after its adoption, UNCLOS continues to be the legal framework governing all activities at sea and in the ocean. The universal value and integrity of the Convention continue to be strongly affirmed at relevant forums and mechanisms within the United Nations framework in recent times, including UNOC 3, the Open Consultation Process of the United Nations General Assembly on Seas and Oceans (ICP) and the Preparatory Committee for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement.

SPLOS 35 Conference. (Photo: Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations)

After the opening session and the completion of the election of the Presidium and a number of other executive positions, the Conference listened to reports from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Seabed Authority (ISA), the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (ISA) and discussed and agreed on the operational orientation of the above institutions during the period under the direction of the President.

Vietnam's first-ever Chairmanship of the most important annual conference on the implementation of UNCLOS reflects the countries' high trust and confidence in Vietnam's management and leadership capacity in multilateral processes and mechanisms within the framework of the United Nations, and at the same time shows the international community's recognition and appreciation of our country's role and contributions to the common efforts to promote the implementation of the Convention and global ocean governance.

This is also an achievement in implementing the policy of proactively and actively taking on important leadership, management and guidance responsibilities at international organizations and forums in the spirit of Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation, Conclusion No. 125-KL/TW of the Secretariat on continuing to promote and enhance multilateral diplomacy until 2030, while making practical contributions to the implementation of Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Previously, in order to prepare for taking on the role of managing SPLOS 35, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu chaired many in-person and online preparatory meetings with the UN Deputy Secretary-General, the UN Legal Office, leaders of agencies established under UNCLOS and consulted with a number of regional groups and Ambassadors and Heads of Delegations of relevant countries in New York.

During the meetings and discussions, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed Vietnam's commitment and desire to closely coordinate with countries and agencies to organize and operate SPLOS 35 in an objective and effective manner, making substantial contributions to the comprehensive implementation of UNCLOS regulations, continuing to promote the governance of seas and oceans and the sustainable use of marine resources globally.

SPLOS is an annual conference of member states of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. At the Conference, UNCLOS member states as well as observer states present their positions, views and share information on issues related to the implementation of UNCLOS, assess the performance of the bodies established under the Convention in the past year, and contribute to orienting new developments in the field of maritime law and ocean management and exploitation in the coming time. Over the years, Vietnam has always actively attended, spoken and made constructive contributions at the Conference with the consistent policy of respecting and fully implementing UNCLOS.

The President of the Conference is responsible for chairing and directing discussions at plenary sessions; deciding on procedural issues and organizing meetings of the Conference based on consultation with the Executive Board; and approving decisions on administration, budget and operations of the agencies established under UNCLOS. The President of the Conference plays a central role in ensuring that the Conference is effective, orderly, and in accordance with rules and procedures. In complex issues with different opinions, the President plays an important role in guiding discussions, encouraging consultation and negotiation between countries to find a common voice. The term of office of the President lasts for 01 year from the opening date of the Conference until the time of handing over this position at the next Conference.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/viet-nam-lan-dau-giu-chuc-chu-tich-hoi-nghi-cac-quoc-gia-thanh-vien-unclos-214422.html