Timor-Leste to Host International Conference on the Law of the Sea and Maritime Dispute Settlement from 15-16 May 2025

Wed. 16 of April of 2025, 16:29h

The Land and Maritime Boundary Office (LMBO) of Timor-Leste, will host the second Dili International Conference on the Law of the Sea. This conference will be held from 15-16 May 2025 at the JL World Hotel in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.

Themed “Navigating Challenges: Law of the Sea and Maritime Dispute Settlement”, the two-day invitation only international conference will explore how international law and mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) can assist nations in resolving maritime disputes peacefully. It will serve as a platform for discussing the effectiveness of UNCLOS in resolving maritime disputes in the current complex international environment.

In 1982, the world’s nations came together to adopt the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides a unified legal framework to govern the ocean. Nevertheless, around the world, some 200 maritime boundary disputes remain unresolved.

At this international conference, lessons will also be drawn from the Timor Sea Conciliation case.  On this panel, representatives from Timor-Leste, Australia and the Permanent Court of Arbitration as well as all five Conciliators will share their experiences and insights on the first ever Compulsory Conciliation process. This historic process demonstrated that maritime disputes between nations can be resolved peacefully using existing international law mechanisms.

The conference will be opened by the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta with a keynote address by the President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Judge Tomas Heidar. Speakers include renowned experts and practitioners on the Law of the Sea from governments, academia, international tribunals and law firms.

The discussions over two days will centre around five key themes - Lessons from the Timor Sea Conciliation, Strengthening International Legal Mechanisms, Regional Approaches to Conflict Resolution, Climate Change and Maritime Disputes and Sustainable Resource Management.

The 2025 Dili International Conference will bring together senior officials and representatives from the Pacific, ASEAN, the g7+ group of fragile nations, Community of Portuguese Language Countries and other nations to engage in dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaboration for the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes.

In May 2016, the Land and Maritime Boundary Office (formerly the Maritime Boundary Office), jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, organised the first Dili International Conference on the Law of the Sea focussing on maritime boundaries. This conference featured a keynote address by the President of ITLOS, Judge Vladimir Golitsyn and was attended by around 600 participants.

The Maritime Boundary Office was established in April 2015 to support Timor-Leste’s pursuit of maritime boundaries with Australia and Indonesia. Following the successful finalisation of maritime boundaries with Australia in 2018, the Office is now focused on negotiating maritime boundaries with Indonesia. In December 2023, its mandate was expanded to include supporting the finalisation of land boundaries with Indonesia, leading to its renaming as the Land and Maritime Boundary Office (LMBO). Additionally, the LMBO has been tasked with assisting the Prime Minister in the development and promotion of Timor-Leste’s Blue Economy.

The second Dili International Conference: Navigating Challenges: Law of the Sea and Maritime Dispute Settlement coincides with the 10^th anniversary of the establishment of the LMBO. ENDS

 

Dili International Conference on the Law of the Sea and Maritime Dispute Settlement:

Concept Note

Dili International Conference 15 – 16 May 2025_Provisional Program as at 14 April 2025 (PDF File)

 

For more information, email the organisers at – info@gftm.gov.tl