PH, Indonesia approve guidelines for continental shelf boundary delimitation
The Philippines and Indonesia have recently signed guidelines that will eventually pave the way for the foundation on the delimitation of the two countries' continental shelf boundary.
This came after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and its Indonesian counterpart signed on Oct. 5 the Principles and Guidelines, which is deemed to be an important step for the continental shelf boundary delimitation of the two countries by reaffirming the provisions under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The move came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. went to Indonesia for a state visit with President Joko Widodo. Both leaders identified the continental shelf boundary talks as a key priority, said the DFA.
The technical teams of the Philippines and Indonesia, then, expressed their commitment to expedite the process of the negotiations.
In fact, Indonesia already hosted the first Meeting in Bali in July 2022. The Philippines will be the next host, and the meeting will happen in Manila in 2023.
The Philippines and Indonesia are two of the world's largest archipelagic states. The two countries started negotiations on continental shelf delimitation after concluding a landmark agreement delimiting their exclusive economic zones in 2014.
According to DFA, Widodo "appreciated the successful start of the negotiation and stated his desire to expedite the conclusion of the continental shelf boundary between the two countries."
Marcos Jr. and Widodo "also reaffirmed that the negotiation of the continental shelf boundary delimitation will be carried out in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS," DFA added.
The Principles and Guidelines were signed simultaneously through video conference by Assistant Secretary Maria Angela Ponce of the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Andreano Erwin, Director for Legal Affairs and Territorial Treaties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.