Kaja Kallas announces global maritime agreement with 60 nations

On October 12, 2026, Kaja Kallas announced a global maritime agreement supported by 60 nations to safeguard freedom of navigation and uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The coalition includes all European Union member states and 33 non-EU countries, including the Philippines.

The declaration establishes a unified diplomatic front against the imposition of transit fees, passage tolls, discriminatory regulations, and prior authorization requirements in international straits. Signatories warned that unilateral barriers to lawful passage threaten global security, international trade, energy flows, and food security.

The participating nations committed to three primary objectives: promoting multilateral cooperation through institutions like the International Maritime Organization, rejecting coercive unilateral actions, and preserving the integrity of UNCLOS as the “constitution of the oceans.”