Results of the Review by the Commission on Sustainable Development of the Sectoral Theme of "Oceans and Seas" :#international Coordination and Cooperation

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 40cResults of the review by the Commission on Sustainable Development of the sectoral theme of "oceans and seas", published in 1999.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Extracted automatically from each entity’s budget submission.

What subjects does this mandate have?

10 topics

Conferences Consultations Coordination Within UN System Inter-Agency Cooperation Law of the Sea Marine Environment Oceans Participants Report Preparation Technical Cooperation

What does this mandate say?

21 operative paragraphs

Endorses the recommendations made by the Commission on Sustainable Development through the Economic and Social Council under the sectoral theme of “Oceans and seas” regarding international coordination and cooperation;

Decides, consistent with the legal framework provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the goals of chapter 17 of Agenda 21,1 to establish an open-ended informal consultative process in order to facilitate the annual review by the General Assembly, in an effective and constructive manner, of developments in ocean affairs by considering the Secretary-General’s report on oceans and the law of the sea and by suggesting particular issues to be considered by it, with an emphasis on identifying areas where coordination and cooperation at the intergovernmental and inter-agency levels should be enhanced;

Also decides that the meetings within the framework of the consultative process will be organized as follows:

The meetings will be open to all States Members of the United Nations, States members of the specialized agencies, all parties to the Convention, entities that have received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the work of the General Assembly pursuant to its relevant resolutions, and intergovernmental organizations with competence in ocean affairs;

The meetings will take place for one week each year; in 2000 they will be held from 30 May to 2 June;

The meetings will deliberate on the Secretary-General’s report on oceans and the law of the sea, with due account given to any particular resolution or decision of the General Assembly, any relevant special reports of the Secretary-General and any relevant recommendations of the Commission on Sustainable Development;

The meetings should, in identifying areas where coordination and cooperation are to be enhanced, bear in mind the differing characteristics and needs of the different regions of the world, and should not pursue legal or juridical coordination among the different legal instruments;

The meetings will be coordinated by two co-chairpersons, who will be appointed by the President of the General Assembly in consultation with Member States and taking into account the need for representation from developed and developing countries;

The co-chairpersons will elaborate, in consultation with delegations, a format for the discussions that best facilitates the work of the consultative process, in accordance with the rules of procedure and practices of the General Assembly;

In accordance with the rules of procedure and practices of the General Assembly, the format of this informal consultative process should ensure the opportunity to receive input from representatives of the major groups as identified in Agenda 21, in particular through the organization of discussion panels;

The meetings may propose elements for the consideration of the General Assembly, including, as appropriate, in relation to Assembly resolutions under the agenda item entitled “Oceans and the law of the sea”;

Further decides to review the effectiveness and utility of the consultative process at its fifty-seventh session;

Highlights the importance of the participation of developing countries, including least developed countries and small island developing States, in the consultative process, and encourages States and international organizations to support efforts in this regard;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the consultative process with the necessary facilities for the performance of its work and to arrange for support to be provided by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat, in cooperation with other relevant parts of the Secretariat, including the Division for Sustainable Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, as appropriate;

Also requests the Secretary-General, working in cooperation with the heads of relevant organizations of the United Nations, to include in his annual comprehensive report to the General Assembly on oceans and the law of the sea, suggestions on initiatives that could be undertaken to improve coordination and cooperation and achieve better integration on ocean affairs, and requests the Secretary-General to make the report available at least six weeks in advance of the meeting of the consultative process;

Further requests the Secretary-General, working through appropriate United Nations bodies and in cooperation with the heads of relevant organizations, funds or programmes of the United Nations, to undertake measures aimed at:

Ensuring more effective collaboration and coordination between relevant parts of the Secretariat and the United Nations system as a whole on ocean affairs and the law of the sea;

Improving the effectiveness, transparency and responsiveness of the Subcommittee on Oceans and Coastal Areas of the Administrative Committee on Coordination;

and to include information on progress in this regard in his next report on oceans and the law of the sea;

Notes the importance of coordination and cooperation at the national level in order to promote an integrated approach on ocean affairs so as, inter alia, to facilitate the effective participation of States in the consultative process and other international forums;

Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of heads of intergovernmental organizations, the specialized agencies and funds and programmes of the United Nations engaged in activities relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea, and the Subcommittee on Oceans and Coastal Areas of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, and underlines the importance of their participation in the consultative process and of their input to the report of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea;

Invites Member States, as part of their participation in relevant competent bodies of intergovernmental organizations engaged in activities relating to ocean affairs and the law of the sea, to encourage their participation in the consultative process and their contribution to the report of the Secretary-General on oceans and the law of the sea.

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