UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that global maritime safety is becoming a test of the international order. He called for ensuring seafarers’ safety, restoring unimpeded maritime navigation, respecting international law, and promoting dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution.
Speaking at the session, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang reaffirmed that freedom of navigation and overflight, including safe, continuous, and unimpeded transit through international straits—must be upheld in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
She stressed that all disputes must be resolved peacefully on the basis of international law and the UN Charter, with full respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue and diplomacy for sustainable solutions.
