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Zen Hernandez

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MANILA -- In preparation for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), to be hosted by France in the city of Nice on June 2025, the French Embassy in Manila launched the “Blue Nations - France and the Philippines: Partners for the Oceans,” in Manila on Wednesday. The Blue Nations initiative aims to further strengthen maritime cooperation between the Philippines and France, particularly focusing on the environment and climate, blue economy and maritime security. According to French Ambassador Marie Fontanel, the Philippines has a special role in the 2025 conference. “France and the Philippines are maritime nations, reasonably oriented towards the sea due to our geography…. We do think that the Philippines has an important role to play at this conference. You have strength, and we could all benefit from your expertise and knowledge, being, for instance, a pioneer country for the protection of marine and the coastal ecosystem… And France wishes to work with the Philippines to leverage our common knowledge and expertise to ensure the success of UNOC,” Fontanel said. The Philippines ranks as the 6th nation with the longest coastline at over 36,000 kilometers and France is 10th with 20,000 kilometers. The Philippines also has 25,000 square kilometers of coral reefs ranking 3rd in the world, while France is 4th. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/4/hundreds-commemorate-tiananmen-crackdown-in-taipei-vigil-029" id="isPasted">Hundreds commemorate Tiananmen crackdown in Taipei vigil </a> </div>“We thus share the responsibility of ensuring the protection of those ecosystems which are vital for the health of the oceans and hence for the planet. We also share the same values, particularly our mutual commitment to international law and multilateralism as exemplified by the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, UNCLOS, which is also the foundation of the UNOC,” Fontanel added. France and the Philippines have long shared a partnership in climate and ocean protection. In  2015, then French President Francois Hollande and his counterpart President Benigno Aquino initiated the Manila Call to Action, culminating in the adoption of the Paris Agreement in the same year, through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Paris, France. “And since the old story started in Manila, we do share responsibility in the implementation of the Paris agreement. Ten years after, we will have to commit again for the preservation of our oceans,” Fontanel explained. France will co-chair the third UNOC with Costa Rica. According to environmentalist and Senator Loren Legarda, the Philippines have just recently adopted Costa Rica’s pioneering environmental policies. “The Philippines has followed suit when we recently enacted a law, signed by the President just last week, which I principally authored and sponsored, the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Act…Natural capital accounting, as exemplified by Costa Rica, offers a transformative approach and perspective on how we view and manage our natural wealth…We&#x27;re also about to pass, we’re just in recess now, the Blue Economy Bill….France has demonstrated remarkable leadership in marine conservation through initiatives such as the creation of extensive marine protected areas and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices,” Legarda said. Blue economy is defined by the World Bank as the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.” A United Nations representative also defined it as an economy that &quot;comprises a range of economic sectors and related policies that together determine whether the use of ocean resources is sustainable. An important challenge of the blue economy is to understand and better manage the many aspects of oceanic sustainability, ranging from sustainable fisheries to ecosystem health to preventing pollution. Secondly, the blue economy challenges us to realize that the sustainable management of ocean resources will require collaboration across borders and sectors through a variety of partnerships, and on a scale that has not been previously achieved.&quot; <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/3/unnamed-china-foreign-ministry-spokesperson-criticize-marcos-west-philippine-sea-statements-1650" id="isPasted">Unnamed China Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticize Marcos’ West Philippine Sea statements </a> </div>Legarda also assured that the United Nations agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction or the BBNJ agreement will be ratified as soon as it reaches the Senate. It is currently at the Office of the President. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is also looking forward to further cooperation with France and contributing in the environment climate agenda. “To contribute in the environment climate agenda, we are establishing, for the first time, seven marine scientific research stations across the archipelago to secure, discover, and further understand the coastal and marine environment for informed decision making, resource management, development strategies, and long term monitoring,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said. Yulo-Loyzaga further underscored the importance of adhering to international law. “With our adoption and the ongoing process of ratification of the BBNJ treaty, the Philippines affirms furthermore the primacy of the UNCLOS and the constitution of the oceans... In recognition of the interconnectivity of species and ecosystems beneath one ocean, we are for transboundary cooperation, multilateralism, and we are a friend to all who were willing to establish a rules based international order,” Loyzaga added. Independent policy think tank and research organization Stratbase ADR Institute also underscored that maritime security is directly related to upholding a blue economy. “The Philippines, we all know, is at the receiving end of gray zone tactics, even cyber cooperation. But more than that, something that I want to emphasize is the West Philippine Sea also faces issues affecting its biodiversity and marine resources….The Philippines need to work together with other nations, and today, that&#x27;s what we&#x27;re celebrating collectively….we need to defend what is ours, defend what is defined by international as ours. But part of it, national security is economic security,” said Stratbase ADR Institute Professor Dindo Manhit. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/5/us-to-deploy-assets-in-south-china-sea-as-ph-asks-for-greater-deployment-pcg-1221" id="isPasted">US to deploy assets in South China Sea as PH asks for ‘greater deployment’: PCG </a> </div>Stratbase previously released a poll that shows 89% of Filipinos want the government to assert rights in the West Philippine Sea. The group ran another survey to determine the reason for that result and majority of the respondents said that it is about protecting marine resources and the rights of the people and coastal communities.

In preparation for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), to be hosted by France in the city of Nice on June 2025, the French Embassy in Manila launched the “Blue Nations - France and the Philippines: Partners for the Oceans,” in Manila on Wednesday.

In preparation for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), to be hosted by France in the city of Nice on June 2025, the French Embassy in Manila launched the “Blue Nations - France and the Philippines: Partners for the Oceans,” in Manila on Wednesday.

Philippine role in 2025 UN Ocean Conference 'significant’, says French envoy

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Philippine role in 2025 UN Ocean Conference 'significant’, says French envoy

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 05, 2024 11:34 PM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

Philippines

France

UNOC

2016 Arbitral Award

UNCLOS

Shangri-La Dialogue

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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