The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) was held in Lisbon from June 27 to July 1. VNA/VNS PHOTO

LISBON — Vietnamese representatives reaffirmed their country’s commitments to develop blue and sustainable oceans when attending the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in Lisbon from June 27 to July 1.

Addressing the UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14): 'Conserve, and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development,' Deputy Foreign Minister Phạm Quang Hiệu 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.

Việt Nam 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, Hiệu said, highlighting the nation’s efforts in joining hands with the international community to deal with marine issues.

Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, said that in recent years, Việt Nam had made efforts to carry out the SDG14, including the implementation of the strategy for the sustainable development of Việt Nam's marine economy to 2030.

To respond to marine challenges, it is necessary to promote 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.

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.

Countries affirmed that oceans played an important role in peace, security, health, environment and sustainable development, as well as prosperity.

As current cross-border challenges cannot be solved by a single country and are exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic, they called for promoting international cooperation, marine scientific research and building a sustainable blue economy to mitigate and address these challenges.

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. — VNS