On Tuesday, February 28th, the Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs (DOALOS), through the United Nations-Nippon Foundation Team, hosted an informal Alumni gathering during the lunch break of the Resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, held at United Nations Headquarters.
The group of UNNF Alumni, consisting of about 20 individuals from 11 developing countries (including from Antigua and Barbuda, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Timor Leste, Trinidad and Tobago), were accompanying their delegations and organizations of civil society, with some serving as lead negotiators for their respective countries and/or regions. The gathering provided an opportunity for the UNNF Alumni to catch up and network with those who they had not met before.
The UNNF Alumni expressed their gratitude to DOALOS and the Nippon Foundation for their capacity-building programmes development and networking opportunities, and highlighted their impact on their professional development.
After nearly 20 years of collaboration between the United Nations and the Nippon Foundation on capacity-building on ocean affairs and the law of the sea, a vibrant Alumni Network of ocean professionals from 91 countries has emerged, committed to promoting the sustainable development of the ocean and empowered by the knowledge gained during their fellowship programmes and beyond, through the Alumni Network activities. The success of the programmes is reflected in the accomplishments of its Alumni, who have gone on to hold key positions in government, academia, and civil society organizations.
More information on the United Nations-Nippon Foundation capacity-building programmes can be found here: The United Nations – Nippon Foundation Capacity-Building Programmes
