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Liberia desktop study
In the first step for Liberia to secure additional seabed re-
sources through the delineation of an extended continental
shelf, the Shelf team completed a desktop study outlining
the potential outer limits of the continental shelf and a
plan for obtaining the additional data required to credibly
define these limits. GRID-Arendal has recently successfully
obtained copies of permission to access important indus-
try-acquired geoscientific data to complement the publi-
cally available data used to undertake the desktop study.
The proposed acquisition has not proceeded as yet, as the
Liberian government has been unable to assemble the task
force. However we are now in contact with a member of
the Liberian National Oil Company who is taking the lead
on the project and we hope to meet with him in early 2014.
Supporting the Somali Continental Shelf Submission
Norway has played a key role in supporting Somalia de-
lineate the outer limits of its marine jurisdiction. The
technical component of the preliminary information docu-
ment, outlining the indicative outer limits of the Somali
continental shelf, was prepared by the Shelf team. This
preliminary information document was submitted by the
Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic
and accepted by the Secretary General of the United Na-
tions in April 2009. Following this milestone, the Shelf
team worked to complete the full submission documents.
These were finalised in October 2013 and approved by the
late Ambassador Longva. If successful, the submission
has the potential to significantly increase the size of the
marine territory of Somalia.
 Submission support to remaining
developing states
Building on the Pacific Maritime Boundaries partnership
Marine resources are the largest natural resource base
for Pacific Islanders and contribute significantly to pov-
erty reduction. They are critically important for govern-
ment revenues, employment, livelihoods and food secu-
rity. However there are tensions regarding resource use
decisions. To address these issues the Pacific Maritime
SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME: The Pacific Maritime Boundaries partnership
Almost 30% of the shared maritime boundaries in the region have been resolved and appropriate legislation enacted,
contributing to regional stability and improved ocean governance opportunities. The partnership has played a key
role in making this happen:
A delegation from the United States State Department was recently invited to attend the Pacific Boundary workshops,
generally held twice a year. The head of the delegation, Dr Brian Van Pay from the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs at
the U.S. Department of State sent the following message to the partners:
“The U.S. shares boundaries with a number of countries in the Pacific, and we appreciate this unique opportunity to sit down
and make progress on settling our maritime boundaries in an atmosphere that is focused on achieving results. We have been
extremely impressed by the technical and legal expertise of the participants.”
29 November 2012
Following the successful presentation of the submission by Kiribati to the Commission on the Limits of the Conti-
nental Shelf in New York, Mr Romano Reo, Chief Surveyor & Mayor of Betio Town Council and Chairman of Kiribati
Local Government Association sent this message addressed to the members of the Pacific Maritime Boundaries
team:
“Once again guys, this is a joint effort from you that has built our confidence, and I just want to say it again for this time
round, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MARVELOUS WORK AND EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE ASSISTED US WITH.”
1 August 2013
The following quote from Dr Arthur Webb, the Secretariat of the South Pacific Community, is recorded on the Uni-
versity of Sydney website:
“We have achieved more progress in the last six years with this program than in the last three decades. Not only have Pa-
cific Island countries worked collaboratively to settle maritime boundaries, they have also submitted joint claims to seabed
territory which may contain valuable mineral resources.”
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