The contribution of international scientific cooperation and related institutions to effective governance for the oceans: the cases of regional tsunami early warning systems and the Argo Project - Ocean Sustainability in the 21st Century - page 297

ocean-related emerging issues' (United Nations, 2012b ) . The competent international or-
ganizations in MSR are the only acceptable means of moving forward MSR programmes
through international cooperation, as they provide a guarantee for developing countries to
participate on an equitable basis. To this end, further guidance should be developed and
provided under Article 251 of UNCLOS for different applications of MSR, together with
financial support and technical assistance to developing countries. The 'Oceans Compact'
launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2012 (United Nations 2012c ), which sets out
a strategic vision for the UN system to deliver on its ocean-related mandates, calls for,
among several objectives, reducing vulnerability to ocean hazards, including tsunamis, and
strengthening ocean knowledge and the management of oceans, including through address-
ing the need for robust ocean observation and relevant infrastructure, including capacity
development in ocean and coastal areas. It is expected that such an initiative, building on
the goals of Rio+20, may foster interagency collaboration to meet countries' needs in these
critical subjects.