Present at the 14th edition, themed “Dispute settlement mechanisms: UNCLOS’ indispensable guardians,” were nearly 160 in-person and online delegates, including nearly 20 speakers from 14 countries and territories, around 40 representatives from nearly 30 foreign representative offices in Vietnam, and over 70 delegates from central agencies, ministries, research institutes, and universities nationwide.
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At the event (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs) |
In his speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong emphasized that Vietnam remains committed to adhering to UNCLOS 1982, and contributing to joint efforts and promoting international legal cooperation on maritime issues for peace, stability, and prosperity based on international law.
Speaking at the event, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh said that UNCLOS represents the international community’s effort to establish a unified legal framework for the sustainable and peaceful use of the seas. She added that one of UNCLOS’s significant achievements is the establishment of dispute settlement mechanisms, which not only provide frameworks and options for dispute settlement, but also serve as a basis for promoting the legal order at sea.
Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird underlined that important events like this dialogue confirm the importance of addressing disputes in a peaceful manner based on international rules and norms rather than through force, power and scale.
Meanwhile, Olivia Schlouch, Program Manager of KAS’s Rule of Law Program Asia, the Ocean Dialogue has become a reputable international forum where leading experts in maritime areas, and policy makers worldwide gather. She voiced her strong support for Vietnam’s candidacy for a judge position at International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). She also emphasized that Vietnam is increasingly asserting its capability, reputation, and leadership in international maritime law.
The 14th edition focused on such contents as dispute settlement mechanisms in UNCLOS: Looking back upon the past; contribution of the mechanisms to peace and stability at sea; contribution of the dispute settlement mechanisms to the development of the law of the sea; and the future prospects of the dispute settlement mechanisms within and outside UNCLOS.
Translated by Chung Anh