Piracy at sea, marine technology top agenda of informal talks at UN

The promotion of marine science and technology to accelerate economic and social development and ensure food security will be among the key issues addressed by a United Nations panel that today met at UN Headquarters in New York.

The week-long session of the UN Open-Ended Informal Consultative Process on Ocean Affairs is also expected to focus on efforts to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea, which have been on the rise in the past two years.

To aid in its deliberations, the panel will have before it a recently released UN report, which also draws attention to pollution, over-fishing and destruction of habitats as major problems facing the earth's seas and oceans.

The report by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Oceans and the Law of the Sea points to a lack of coordination and cooperation in addressing ocean issues, which has prevented the emergence of more efficient, results-oriented ocean governance. The Informal Consultative Process was established in 1999 to deepen debate in the UN General Assembly and contribute to a broader understanding of the issues being faced.