The Ocean has lost another champion with the passing of Judge Vladimir Vladimirovich Golitsyn on 26 March 2023. During his long career Judge Golitsyn was a key contributor to the development of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Among other prestigious positions, he was the Secretary of the Plenary of the Preparatory Commission for the International Seabed Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (1987-1994), the Principal Legal Officer in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations (1997-2003), the Director of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (2004-2007), and a lecturer at the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy (2009-present). During his tenure at UNDOALOS he made a priority of capacity building and development and was instrumental in launching the process which eventually led to the convening 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 and the current draft agreement. On behalf of the IOI, I extend condolences to Judge Golitsyn’s family and colleagues.
Awni Behnam, Honorary President IOI