Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son signs the UN agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

The move made Vietnam one of the first countries to sign the legally binding instrument under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The signing conveyed the message that Vietnam is a responsible member of the international community and its efforts to join hands with others to deal with global issues contribute to peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

60 countries are expected to sign the agreement this week.

The deal is a historic milestone in the international community’s environmental protection efforts.

This is the third agreement within the framework of the 1982 UNCLOS. It reaffirms the role and importance of the Convention as a legal framework for all maritime activities, and will take effect after 60 countries ratify it.

Talking to media after the signing, Minister Son said the treaty is the first document to comprehensively regulate the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources in international waters.

The treaty creates opportunities for developing countries to participate in research of , and benefit from, genetic resources in international waters.