Canada Joins Global Pledge to Uphold Law of the Sea and Oppose Tolls on International Straits
Global Affairs Canada published a global pledge in Ottawa on October 12, 2026, under which Canada and the other supporting countries pledged to maintain the integrity of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and to oppose unlawful fees or tolls on straits used for international navigation.
The pledge says straits used for international navigation are not only regional waterways but global lifelines, whose security and safety depend on respect for international law as reflected in UNCLOS, on restraint by all parties, and on sustained multilateral cooperation. The signatories emphasised the universal and unified character of the Convention, which sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.
Under the pledge, the countries committed to champion multilateral cooperation, working within institutions responsible for maritime governance such as the International Maritime Organization; to reject coercion and unilateral action seeking to undermine the international order based on international law; and to oppose any measures, including unlawful fees, tolls, discriminatory restrictions or prior authorisation requirements, that would hamper or impair lawful navigation through straits used for international navigation.
Global Affairs Canada said the pledge was announced on October 12 by Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative, and is now supported by all EU member states and 33 countries from around the world, including Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Source: Global Affairs Canada
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：直布罗陀海峡，全球重要国际航运海峡之一（图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，开放授权） / Photo: The Strait of Gibraltar, a major international shipping strait (Source: Wikimedia Commons, open license)
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