On November 25 at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
On November 16, 1994, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which was signed in 1982, entered into force. This was the first ever uniform set of rules for maritime use that was signed and ratified by the vast majority of the world’s states, although certain countries, such as the United States, Turkey, and Israel, did not join.
Special attention is paid to the role of the Convention in the development of the Arctic. Due to the lack of a universal treaty in the world that regulates activities in this region, the provisions of the Convention on the Continental Shelf are crucial for Arctic states. Given this background, experts have expressed concern that the United States has not joined the treaty yet.
In 2023, the United States announced changes to its outer boundaries of the continental shelf without consulting the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has recently noted that this is another attempt by the United States to demonstrate its superiority and hegemony.
Russia has emphasized the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which contributes to strengthening law and order in the world’s oceans and maintaining peace and international security. The document served as the basis for legal proceedings related to the explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines, which occurred in September 2022. Russia has filed preliminary claims against Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, believed to be linked to the incident. If the matter is not resolved through negotiations, Russia is prepared to take the case to court and appeal to the International Court of Justice in connection with the alleged violation of the countries’ international obligations.
At the same time, it has been suggested that Russia’s participation in the Convention may impose additional obligations, which might not be applicable to other countries such as the United States.
Against the backdrop of these and many other “maritime” challenges — piracy, maritime terrorism, infrastructure sabotage, and unresolved territorial disputes — the question arises: how well does the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) correspond to modern realities? What is the future of the maritime legal regime as seen by experts from different countries? Based on the experience of the last thirty years, what specific benefits have participation in the Convention brought to Russia? Is there a possibility that Russia will withdraw from the Convention in the foreseeable future? These and other questions will be addressed by the participants in the discussion.
Speakers:
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Pavel Gudev, Leading Researcher, IMEMO RAS
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Hendra Manurung, Lecturer at the Department of Military History, Faculty of Defence Strategy, Republic of Indonesia Defence University (RIDU)
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Asoke Kumar Mukherji, Honorary Researcher, Vivekananda International Foundation
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Alexander Vylegzhanin, Head of the Department of International Law, MGIMO University (2005-2024)
Moderator:
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Anton Bespalov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
Working languages: Russian, English.
Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our web site. If you have any questions about the event, please call +79269307763
Links to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, X (formerly Twitter), VK, Telegram and Dzen.
