EU Explanation of Vote: UN General Assembly: adoption of the Resolution on the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)
Mr. President,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Monaco align themselves with this statement.
The EU and its Member States commend Singapore for proposing the resolution contained in document L.82. We strongly support it and call on all States to vote for it. We are disappointed that amendments were proposed in document L.83 that seek to undermine the resolution. We cannot support the proposed amendments.
The resolution is fully in line with and follows up on the report of the 5th IGC on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). That report was adopted by consensus.
The resolution serves three important purposes.
First, the BBNJ Agreement is a historic achievement of multilateralism. It is the latest implementing agreement of UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. It does not escape anyone that the BBNJ Agreement is key for achieving the overall ambition for a more sustainably managed ocean and its ecosystems. The adoption of this resolution by the General Assembly serves to highlight that the international rules-based order with the United Nations at its center delivers when it matters most.
Secondly and crucially, the resolution provides for the next steps toward the signature, swift entry into force and effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. In particular, it allows the Secretary-General to assume the functions assigned to him under the Agreement and to make arrangements for the funding of the interim Secretariat of the Agreement that will be performed by DOALOS. We stand ready to support the Secretary-General and DOALOS, in particular, in any way we can in their upcoming work in this regard.
Lastly, the resolution calls for the signature and ratification, approval or acceptance of the Agreement at the earliest possible date to allow its entry into force and ensures that the General Assembly will regularly follow up on the Agreement through an agenda sub-item dedicated to it. This is a key priority for the European Union and its Member States. We are committed to signing and concluding the the BBNJ Agreement as soon as possible and urge others to do so as well. Toward this aim, the European Union has committed 40 million euros to support the ratification and early implementation of the Agreement.
Thank you.
INTERVENCIÓN DEL DELEGADO - Sr. Xavier Bellmont Roldán
77º período de sesiones - Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas Tema 72 a): Los océanos y el derecho del mar Proyecto de resolución (A/77/L.82) y proyecto de enmienda (A/77/L.83)
Señor Presidente,
Tengo el honor de hacer esta declaración en nombre de la Unión Europea y de sus Estados miembros. Se suman a la presente declaración los países candidatos Macedonia del Norte*, Montenegro, Albania, Ucrania, la República de Moldavia y Bosnia y Herzegovina; los miembros del Espacio Económico Europeo Islandia, Liechtenstein y Noruega, así como Mónaco.
La UE y sus Estados miembros agradecen a Singapur la propuesta de resolución contenida en el documento L.82. La apoyamos firmemente y pedimos a todos los Estados que voten a favor. Nos decepciona que se hayan propuesto enmiendas recogidas en el documento L.83 que pretenden socavar la resolución. No podemos apoyar dichas enmiendas.
La resolución está plenamente en consonancia con el informe de la 5ª Conferencia Intergubernamental sobre un instrumento internacional jurídicamente vinculante en virtud de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar (CNUDM) relativo a la conservación y el uso sostenible de la diversidad biológica marina de las zonas situadas fuera de la jurisdicción nacional (BBNJ). Dicho informe fue aprobado por consenso.
La resolución cumple tres importantes objetivos.
En primer lugar, el Acuerdo BBNJ es un logro histórico del multilateralismo. Es el último acuerdo de aplicación de la Convención de las NNUU sobre Derecho del Mar que establece el marco jurídico en el que deben desarrollarse todas las actividades en los océanos y mares. A nadie se le escapa que el Acuerdo BBNJ es clave para alcanzar la ambición general de una gestión más sostenible de los océanos y sus ecosistemas. La adopción de esta resolución por la Asamblea General sirve para poner de relieve que el orden internacional basado en normas, con las Naciones Unidas en su centro, cumple cuando más importa.
En segundo lugar, y de crucial importancia, la resolución prevé los próximos pasos hacia la firma, la rápida entrada en vigor y la aplicación efectiva del Acuerdo BBNJ. En particular, permite al Secretario General asumir las funciones que le asigna el Acuerdo y financiar la Secretaría provisional del Acuerdo que desempeñará DOALOS (División de Océanos y Derecho del mar) Estamos dispuestos a apoyar al Secretario General y a la DOALOS, en particular, en todo lo que podamos en sus cometidos.
Por último, la resolución pide la firma y ratificación, aprobación o aceptación del Acuerdo lo antes posible para permitir su entrada en vigor y garantiza que la Asamblea General hará un seguimiento regular del Acuerdo mediante un subpunto del orden del día dedicado al mismo. Se trata de una prioridad clave para la Unión Europea y sus Estados miembros. Nos comprometemos a firmar y concluir el Acuerdo BBNJ lo antes posible e instamos a los demás a que también lo hagan. Con este objetivo, la Unión Europea ha comprometido 40 millones de euros para apoyar la ratificación y pronta aplicación del Acuerdo.
Por todas estas razones, animamos a los EM a votar en contra de las enmiendas y a favor de la resolución presentada por Singapur.
Gracias.
Mr. President,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Monaco align themselves with this statement.
The EU and its Member States commend Singapore for proposing the resolution contained in document L.82. We strongly support it and call on all States to vote for it. We are disappointed that amendments were proposed in document L.83 that seek to undermine the resolution. We cannot support the proposed amendments
The resolution is fully in line with and follows up on the report of the 5th IGC on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). That report was adopted by consensus.
The resolution serves three important purposes.
First, it welcomes the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement by consensus, which is a historic achievement of multilateralism. It is the latest implementing agreement of UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. It does not escape anyone that the BBNJ Agreement is key for achieving the overall ambition for a more sustainably managed ocean and its ecosystems. The adoption of this resolution by the General Assembly serves to highlight that the international rules-based order with the United Nations at its center delivers when it matters most.
Secondly and crucially, the resolution provides for the next steps toward the signature, swift entry into force and effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. In particular, it allows the Secretary-General to assume the functions assigned to him under the Agreement and to make arrangements for the funding of the interim Secretariat of the Agreement that will be performed by DOALOS. We stand ready to support the Secretary-General and DOALOS, in particular, in any way we can in their upcoming work in this regard.
Lastly, the resolution calls for the signature and ratification, approval or acceptance of the Agreement at the earliest possible date to allow its entry into force and ensures that the General Assembly will regularly follow up on the Agreement through an agenda sub-item dedicated to it. This is a key priority for the European Union and its Member States. We are committed to signing and concluding the the BBNJ Agreement as soon as possible and urge others to do so as well. Toward this aim, the European Union has committed 40 million euros to support the ratification and early implementation of the Agreement.
For all these reasons, we encourage MS to vote against the amendments and in favor of the resolution as proposed by Singapore.
Thank you.
* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.