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In 2004 the United Nations and The Nippon Foundation of Japan concluded an agreement to provide capacity-building and human resource development to developing States Parties and non-Parties to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) through a Fellowship Programme.  The programme is jointly executed by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) of the Office of Legal Affairs and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

The objective of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for advanced education and research in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea, and related disciplines including marine science in support of management frameworks, to Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing States, so that they may obtain the necessary knowledge to assist their countries to formulate comprehensive ocean policy and to implement the legal regime set out in UNCLOS and related instruments.

Southern Royal Albatross.  Photograph by Aleks Terauds

Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows should have an advanced awareness and understanding of key issues and best international practices in ocean affairs and are expected to return to their home-countries to contribute their experience to assist with the effective implementation of UNCLOS and related instruments and programmes.  Fellows should be able to design, implement and/or evaluate specific improvement projects in their home countries related to ocean affairs, develop a core leadership capacity and have an in-depth understanding of legal frameworks, methodologies and tools to improve further implementation of instruments and programmes and to provide for their effective enforcement in conformity with international law.

The application period for the 2013-2014 session is now open (click here).  The deadline is 15 September.

With thanks to Francois Bailet, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, United Nations for information.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 9 August 2012