 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents a keynote speech on behalf of the 10 ASEAN member countries at the plenary session of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice, France. (Photo: Lai Hoa) |
The Prime Minister put forth four priority orientations of ASEAN whose seas are facing serious challenges: climate change, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, marine pollution, overexploitation of seafood, geopolitical tensions, among others.
First, the oceans must always be preserved as a space of peace, development cooperation, and shared responsibility. Second, it is essential to promote a consistent global approach and regional efforts in ocean and maritime governance. Third, oceans and seas should be defined as a core driver of prosperous development. Fourth, there is a need to enhance global ocean governance based on cooperation rather than competition, to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed ASEAN's stance on upholding the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Agreements enforcing it, calling them a comprehensive legal framework regulating all activities at sea and in the ocean.
As a representative of Vietnam at the Conference, Prime Minister Chinh called on the international community to act faster, stronger, more decisively in conserving and sustainably using the ocean.
He proposed six key orientations. First, focusing on scientific foundations combined with folk experience in policy making. Second, boosting science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and creating new momentum for sustainable marine economic development. Third, mobilizing and effectively using resources for marine economic development. Forth, adopting multi-sectoral approach in marine and ocean governance. Fifth, promoting inter-regional, inter-national, inter-continental connectivity, forming a network of regional and global blue marine economic centers. And sixth, upholding solidarity and international cooperation in conservation and sustainable development of seas and oceans.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that Vietnam has been working with partners to take comprehensive and strong actions at various levels of measures to realize the goal of conserving and sustainably using the marine environment (SDG 14) in line with "three proactive". They are proactively delivering policies and programs to develop blue marine economic sectors and restore marine ecosystems; proactively ramping up cooperation and partnerships with countries, international organizations, and relevant parties, especially in knowledge sharing and technology transfer; and proactively proposing and participating in and implementing initiatives at national, regional and global levels.
Vietnam has registered 15 voluntary commitments in various areas of ocean and sea governance, he announced.
To conclude his speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered the message: "Let us act together, be united, responsible, proactive and creative so that the ocean will always be a space of peace, cooperation, development and prosperity for today's and future generations."