In a continued show of confidence in the work being carried out by the Permanent Mission of Malta to the UN in New York, HE Mrs Vanessa Frazier was appointed President of the 32^nd Meeting of State Parties to the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (SPLOS)

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 55^th anniversary of Malta’s Ambassador Arvid Pardo’s statement to the United Nations General Assembly which marked the prelude to the setting up of the Convention and changed the way we view our ocean and our planet.

The Convention has played and continues to play a fundamental role as the legal framework for the carrying out of any activity in the oceans and seas. The Convention is far-reaching, covering many areas, including, and ranging from: navigational rights, economic rights, the conservation and management of living marine resources, the protection of the marine environment, as well as piracy – underpinning maritime security as a whole. It embodies our global goal for a healthy ocean as well as the values of the UN Charter.

As we celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, it is fitting that the Permanent Representative of Malta has been appointed to preside over the meeting of the States which are party to this Convention since Malta has continued to build on Ambassador Pardo’s legacy and in fact, if elected to serve as a member of the UN’s Security Council, Oceans and Climate  will be a priority which Malta will carry into the Council for its tenure in 2023-2024.