A successful submission will be the foundation for Mozambique to explore, manage, protect and develop potentially important natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals and living marine organisms for the benefit of present and future generations.
Commonwealth assists Mozambique to claim 136,000 sq km of additional seabed
20 July 2010
A successful submission to the UN will secure exclusive rights and access to potentially lucrative natural resources
Mozambique has lodged a submission with the United Nations to secure access to additional areas of seabed under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The making of the Submission will be the foundation for Mozambique to explore, manage, protect and develop potentially important natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals and living marine organisms for the benefit of present and future generations.
What is a continental shelf?
The continental shelf of a coastal state comprises the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance. (Source: UN)
The Commonwealth Secretariat provided legal and technical advice and assistance throughout the development of the submission, which will be examined by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, based in New York.
With the submission, made on 7 July 2010, Mozambique seeks to confirm rights to an additional 136,000 square kilometres of continental shelf.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a multilateral treaty that establishes a framework of rules and principles to govern all ocean space. The Convention has been ratified by more than 157 countries, including some 47 Commonwealth member countries.
“The making of this submission represents a major achievement, and is the result of the hard work of a dedicated team of government officials,” said Joshua Brien, Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat who leads the Maritime Boundary Programme. “I am very pleased that the Secretariat has been able to assist in this endeavour."
The Secretariat provided assistance during the development of the submission in the form of in-house legal expertise and the engagement of scientific and technical experts to provide advice to the government taskforce established to prepare the submission.
Mr Brien said that the submission will be formally presented in March 2011, and will then be subject to detailed examination by the UN’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The Secretariat will continue to provide assistance to Mozambique while the submission is being considered.
Click here to read the executive summary of the submission
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