From 20 to 30 May, the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and the 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) were held in Kochi, India. The event gathered over 400 delegates from 56 countries, international organizations and NGOs involved in Antarctic activities, who discussed and worked on standards for the governance and protection of the Antarctic continent.
The Argentine delegation participated actively and constructively in the discussion with the Consultative Parties on important issues on the Antarctic agenda, including the implementation of the Antarctic Treaty and the role of the Secretariat, headquartered in Buenos Aires.
The participants focused on scientific activity, international cooperation actions, environmental protection, safety of Antarctic operations, and tourism, among others. In this regard, a highlight of the event was the adoption of a Decision for the Consultative Parties to start developing a comprehensive, flexible and dynamic framework for the regulation of Antarctic tourism.
The Argentine Delegation was made up of representatives of the Joint Antarctic Command (COCOANTAR) and the Foreign Ministry’s National Directorate for Antarctic Foreign Policy and National Directorate for Antarctica.
Today, 63 years after its entry into force and 33 after the signing of the Protocol on Environmental Protection, the Antarctic Treaty is a fundamental tool to strengthen scientific research, international cooperation, peacekeeping and the protection of the Antarctic ecosystem. Article IV of the Treaty safeguards Argentina’s sovereignty rights over the Argentine Antarctic Sector.
Argentina, one of the 12 original signatories, has had historical and uninterrupted presence in Antarctica. The Orkney Base, the first permanent base in Antarctica, started operating in 1904. Argentina has been a pioneer in terms of scientific activity with the foundation of the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA) in 1951, which is the first research centre in the world dedicated exclusively to Antarctic science. Our country is considered a key player in the Antarctic Treaty system.
