ASEANEWS-ASIA GEOPOLITICS | Cambodia’s National Assembly ratifies UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

Cambodia’s National Assembly

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Cambodia’s National Assembly on Friday unanimously approved the draft law to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), marking a significant step in strengthening the Kingdom’s legal framework for maritime governance and international cooperation on ocean affairs.

The ratification was passed during the fifth plenary session of the National Assembly’s seventh legislature, presided over by National Assembly President Khuon Sudary, with 114 lawmakers in attendance. All 114 members voted in favour of the draft law, according to an official statement released by the Assembly’s Secretariat-General.

 

A China Coast Guard vessel fires a water cannon at a Philippine resupply vessel on its way to a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea in March 2024. | REUTERS

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The approved draft law endorses Cambodia’s accession to UNCLOS, a comprehensive international treaty comprising 17 chapters, 320 articles and nine annexes. Cambodia originally signed the convention on July 1, 1983, and Friday’s vote formally paves the way for the Kingdom to deposit its instrument of ratification.

The Secretariat-General said the ratification will provide Cambodia, as a coastal state, with a complete legal framework to govern maritime affairs in line with international law. It will also strengthen legal protections for Cambodia’s management of its maritime zones, including environmental conservation, exploitation of marine resources, and scientific research at sea.

In addition, the statement noted that joining UNCLOS will enhance Cambodia’s international standing by enabling greater cooperation on maritime governance and dispute resolution with other countries. It also grants Cambodia the right to participate in elections for key international bodies established under the convention, including the International Seabed Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

The ratification is also expected to facilitate technical and legal assistance from state parties and international institutions in areas related to marine environmental protection, conservation, and technology transfer.

The draft law contains three articles and was reviewed by the National Assembly’s Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Information. Commission chairman Suos Yara presented the review report to lawmakers during the session.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, along with Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, represented the Royal Government in defending the draft law before the Assembly.

The plenary session concluded at 8:35 am after completing all scheduled agenda items. The Assembly has temporarily adjourned the fifth session of its seventh legislature, with further meeting dates to be announced later.

UNCLOS, often described as the “constitution of the oceans,” establishes legal regimes for territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, continental shelves, navigation rights and marine environmental protection. Cambodia’s ratification brings the country closer into alignment with global maritime legal standards at a time of growing regional focus on maritime cooperation and resource management.

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