The Maldives has brought together representatives from 12 Indian Ocean states for a regional workshop on the Law of the Sea and ocean governance, aimed at strengthening cooperation on sustainable ocean economies.
The four-day event, taking place at Villa Nautica, was opened by Minister of State for Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Aminath Hussain Shareef. The workshop is organised by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) in partnership with the Government of Maldives, under a project funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
Strengthening Knowledge and Regional Cooperation
The programme introduces participants to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and related international instruments, alongside global, regional, and national frameworks for ocean management. Key sessions address Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), blue economy opportunities, ocean finance, maritime security, and climate change impacts.
In her opening address, Aminath Hussain Shareef called for stronger regional collaboration.
“No nation, however committed, can secure the health of its waters in isolation,” she said. “The law of the sea provides us with the compass, but regional cooperation provides us with the vessel and means.”
Focused Sessions and Peer Learning
The workshop brings together 47 participants from 12 Member States for lectures, exercises, and discussions designed to encourage peer learning and practical collaboration.
Following the regional programme, a three-day national workshop will be held to strengthen the Maldives’ implementation of the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA). This follow-up will equip Maldivian officials and stakeholders with guidance on cooperation through regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), data exchange, and enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
