27 February 2017: Wu Hongbo, Secretary-General of the UN Ocean Conference and head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), has invited UN Member States and other stakeholders to submit inputs for the concept papers being prepared on the theme of each partnership dialogue during the Conference. Inputs are due by 24 March 2017.

The themes of the seven dialogues were discussed during the preparatory meeting for the Conference, which took place from 15-16 February 2017. The themes then were transmitted to the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Peter Thomson, by the co-facilitators. The themes are: 1) Addressing marine pollution; 2) Managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems; 3) Minimizing and addressing ocean acidification; 4) Making fisheries sustainable; 5) Increasing economic benefits to SIDS and LDCs and providing access for smallscale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets; 6) Increasing scientific knowledge, and developing research capacity and transfer of marine technology; and 7) Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the law of the Sea.

Also in preparation for the partnership dialogues, Wu invites stakeholders to suggest “distinguished experts” to serve as moderators or panelists, by 31 March 2017. The moderators and panelists will be selected by the Conference Secretary-General in consultation with the UNGA President and the Co-Presidents of the Conference, Fiji and Sweden.

The UN Ocean Conference, also called the High-level UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, will convene from 5-9 June 2017, in New York, US. Summaries of the partnership dialogues will comprise one of the Conference outcomes, which also will include a Call for Action, and a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of SDG 14.

Negotiations on the Call for Action are scheduled to begin with a session from 20-22 March, in New York. A zero draft of the text is under preparation by the co-facilitators for the preparatory conference, the permanent representatives of Portugal and Singapore. [Invitation of Input on Concept Papers] [Form to Submit Input on Moderators or Panelists] [UN Ocean Conference Website] [IISD RS Coverage of Preparatory Meeting]