The Cook Islands was pleased to participate in the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 15–19 June.
The annual meeting received reports from the three bodies established under the Convention—the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)—on their respective activities. Discussions also covered key organisational and administrative matters, including the election of seven members to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. India and Vietnam were elected to represent the Asia-Pacific region.
The Cook Islands was represented by Ms Amelia Fukofuka-Murare, Deputy High Commissioner, Cook Islands High Commission in New Zealand, who highlighted the importance of the country's continued engagement in international ocean governance.
"As a large ocean state, the Cook Islands' participation in meetings such as these is invaluable in ensuring that our national interests are advanced and protected. This includes issues relating to climate change, seabed minerals, international shipping, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, transnational crime, and broader maritime security," said Ms Fukofuka-Murare.
The Cook Islands remains committed to working alongside the international community to strengthen the implementation of UNCLOS and promote the sustainable management, protection, and governance of the world's oceans.