The Trust Fund was established by the Secretary-General by the resolution 55/7 under the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. It is intended to assist LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in complying with the requirements relating to a submission of a relevant data and information required by article 76 of the Convention on the Law of the Sea to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.

 

The objective of the Trust Fund is to enable LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS to make an initial assessment of their particular case, make appropriate plans for further investigations and data acquisition, and to prepare the final submission documents when the necessary data have been acquired.

 

The purpose of the Trust Fund is to provide:

 

a)      training to the appropriate technical and administrative staff of the coastal State in question, in order to enable them to perform initial desktop studies and project planning, or at least to take full part in these activities;

b)      funds for such studies and planning activities, including funds for advisory/consultancy assistance if needed.

 

Moreover, the Trust Fund is aimed to provide financial assistance to LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in attending the meetings of the Consultative Process.

At the 62^nd session of the General Assembly the assistance provided from the Trust Fund for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS has been broadened. According to this decision, representatives of the developing countries who are invited to make presentations during the meetings of the Consultative Process shall receive priority consideration in the disbursement of funds from this Trust Fund in order to cover the costs of their travel, and shall also be eligible to receive daily subsistence allowance subject to the availability of funds after the travel costs of all other representatives (LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS) eligible to receive assistance from the Trust Fund have been covered.

 

An application for financial assistance from the Fund may be submitted by any developing State who is Member of the United Nations and party to the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

 

Website: http://www.un.org/Depts/los/clcs_new/trust_fund_article76.htm