UN Secretary General Stresses Maritime Security to Ensure Peace and Progress

(3 Minutes Read)

The head of the United Nations told the Security Council that the “basic condition” for preserving maritime security is that all States respect international law, following which speakers in a day-long debate urged cooperation to address common challenges in this domain.

The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, says that without maritime security, there can be no global security.” He was addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council during a debate on maritime issues.

Guterres stressed that all facets of life are dependent on maritime security. “All of humanity depends on the world’s oceans and seas. From the oxygen we breathe to the biodiversity that sustains all life, to the economy’s trade and jobs supported by maritime industries. Without maritime security, there can be no global security,” said Guterres.

The head of the United Nations told the Security Council that the “basic condition” for preserving maritime security is that all States respect international law, following which speakers in a day-long debate urged cooperation to address common challenges in this domain.

“Without maritime security, there can be no global security,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.  Yet, the world’s oceans are increasingly under strain from threats both traditional and emerging — challenges around contested boundaries, depletion of maritime resources, escalating geopolitical tensions — and “no region is spared”, he stressed.  “And the problem is getting worse,” he added, spotlighting Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, trafficking in the Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea, and myriad crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

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“Facing these and other threats, the world’s maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear ‘SOS’,” he said, urging action in “three key areas” — respecting international law, addressing the root causes of maritime insecurity and creating “partnerships at all levels”.  Pointing out that the upcoming 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, will “provide an important moment for the countries of the world to take action”, he underscored: “As threats to maritime security are becoming more complex and interconnected, enhanced coordination and stronger maritime governance are essential.”