Message from the Secretary

The political and diplomatic management of affairs related to the Malvinas Question, Antarctica, the South Atlantic, and the continental shelf, matters within the competence of this Secretariat, take place in an international context marked by global tensions that alter the correlation of forces among the powers, together with the new dynamics of regional integration processes and the emergence of new state actors that keep reshaping the international system. In this context, and aimed at protecting national interests, through an autonomous and 
constructive policy we keep achieving our goals and setting new ones that help enhance the value of these strategic areas for national development.
In this edition, we underline the continuous priority that the Malvinas Question has for Argentine foreign policy, a claim that was once again addressed at the Special Committee that meets annually at the UN, as well as at the OAS General Assembly. Headed by Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero, the call to the United Kingdom to abide by international law and comply with the United Nations resolutions was reiterated in that forum. The recent Declaration made at the 3rd Summit of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States held in Brussels is a sign of this renewed support.
The Day of Argentine Interests in the Sea was also an opportunity to renew our commitment
to the sustainability of ocean ecosystems, the responsible use of marine natural resources, thus taking advantage of the contributions of scientific knowledge, international cooperation and the development of new infrastructure. Undoubtedly, the economic potential and the geostrategic value of this “blue Pampa” demand the highest priority.
It is worth highlighting the international recognition that workers of this Secretariat have received, which undoubtedly reflect the contributions that Argentina makes on the international scene. On one hand, Frida Armas Pfirter was elected as Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for the period 2023-2032, during the 33rd Meeting of States Parties to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in New York. This outstanding professional was the one who led, for more than 25 years, the interdisciplinary team that carried out the process of delimitation and demarcation of the outer limit of the Argentine continental shelf (COPLA), approved by law 27557. On the other hand, Patricia Ortúzar, National Director of the Antarctic of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, was elected as President of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) of the Antarctic Treaty, a fact that reflects the leadership of Argentina and its State policy focused on scientific research, infrastructure development and protection and preservation of the environment.
The Secretariat of Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic, as part of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, maintains before the United Kingdom the centrality of the sovereignty claim on the Malvinas Question, as proposed in the new bilateral agenda at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Summit; Moreover, it increases its presence in the Argentine Antarctic Sector and strengthens its leading role in the national maritime spaces in order to consolidate its efective control over natural resources and provide scientific support to Argentine foreign policy in a strategically important area of the South Atlantic. Click here to READ MORE

 

Guillermo Carmona
Secretary of Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic