ASEAN Leaders Pledge security And Stability In Regional Waters In Line With UNCLOS
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- ASEAN leaders on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, security, and stability in regional waters in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In an ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Cooperation adopted at the just-concluded 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, the leaders stressed that UNCLOS remains the legal framework governing all activities in the oceans and seas.
They underscored the importance of peaceful dispute resolution without resorting to the threat or use of force, while reaffirming freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and the maintenance of stable global energy supply chains and maritime trade routes.
They also acknowledged emerging maritime challenges, including threats to critical underwater infrastructure such as submarine cables and pipelines, marine pollution, biodiversity loss, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as the impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities and territorial integrity.
The declaration highlighted the need to strengthen maritime cooperation in areas such as maritime law enforcement, maritime transport connectivity, search and rescue operations, marine environmental protection, blue economy initiatives, ocean governance, marine scientific research, technology transfer, information sharing, and maritime domain awareness.
ASEAN leaders also agreed to advance the work of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum as a platform for cooperation among maritime law enforcement agencies to address maritime security challenges, transnational crime, and other cross-border threats.
On the South China Sea, the leaders reaffirmed the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), while reiterating efforts to conclude negotiations on an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.
The declaration also called for stronger regional and global cooperation involving external partners, the private sector, and local communities to support sustainable marine economic development and enhance the resilience and livelihoods of coastal communities.
Among the initiatives outlined was support for the planned establishment of the ASEAN Maritime Centre in the Philippines to strengthen understanding of maritime issues, support ASEAN-led mechanisms, and promote cross-sectoral collaboration on maritime matters.
