The Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM) has been officially accredited as an observer to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as of 16 February 2026. Within this framework, DEHUKAM is the only institution from Türkiye accredited with observer status in the field of sea and maritime law.

Pursuant to this accreditation, DEHUKAM is entitled to participate in the work of the United Nations Environment Assembly, UNEP’s highest decision-making body, as well as its subsidiary organs, in an observer capacity. Within this framework, DEHUKAM will be able to attend public meetings and sessions of the United Nations Environment Assembly and its subsidiary bodies, submit written statements on agenda items, and, subject to the applicable rules of procedure, deliver oral interventions on matters within its field of expertise.

This development enables the academic studies, policy recommendations, and capacity-building activities carried out by DEHUKAM at the intersection of the law of the sea and environmental law to gain greater visibility and effectiveness at the global level. It also paves the way for more active institutional participation in international cooperation processes concerning sustainable development, the fight against climate change, and the protection of the marine environment.

DEHUKAM’s accreditation to the UNEP constitutes a strategic achievement that strengthens the Center’s international institutional capacity, ensures direct access to multilateral environmental governance mechanisms, and contributes to the representation of Türkiye’s academic expertise in this field on global platforms.Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM) Has Been Accredited to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)!