Executive Order on Extension of Executive Order No. 39 delimiting the maritime zones of the Republic of Liberia (No. 48 of 2013)

THE PRESIDENT REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 48 EXTENSION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 39 DELIMITING THE MARITIME ZONES OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA WHEREAS, the Republic of Liberia has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; WHEREAS, Liberia, being a coastal state with its entire southern boundary on the Atlantic Ocean, has a legitimate maritime interest in that Ocean; WHEREAS, in the National interest it is imperative to pronounce certain measures that are consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Act of the Legislature made pursuant to that Convention; WHEREAS, the President of Liberia is vested with the power to issue Executive Orders to address issues requiring immediate attention pending the conclusion L1f the lengthy legislative process: WHEREAS, the President of the Republic of Liberia in the exercise of this power issued Executive Order No. 39 dated january 12, 2012, delimiting the maritime zones of the Republic of Liberia; WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 39 is expiring but the need still exists to pronounce certain measures that are consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Act of the Legislature made pursuant to that Convention in protection of Liberia's maritime interests; NOW THEREFORE, 1, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, by the power vested in me do hereby, without prejudice to i·ights of the Republic under the Unil·ed Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or under other international !aw, extend Executive Order No. 39 and declare: SECTION 1 - Breadth of the Territorial Sea. (1) The breadth of the Territorial Sea of the Republic of Uberia shall not exceed twelve nautical miies measured from the low wateriine along the.#" coast 9f the Republic as marked on large-scaie official charts. / 1 (2) The outer limit of the Territorial Sea shall be the line every point of which is at a distance from the nearest point of the baseline equal to the breadth of the Territorial Sea. SECTION 2 - Sovereignty of Republic Over Territorial Sea, Airspace above Territorial Sea, etc. (1) The Republic shall exercise sovereignty over the Territorial Sea subject to the provisions of the Convention and other rules of international law. (2) The sovereignty of the Republic shall extend beyond its land territory and internal waters and to the airspace over the Territorial Sea as well as to its bed and subsoil. SECTION 3 - Internal Waters of the Republic. Waters on the landward side of the baseline of the Territorial Sea shall form part of the internal waters of the Republic. SECTION 4 - Contiguous Zone. (1) The Contiguous Zone of the Republic shall be that zone contiguous to the Territorial Sea which may not extend beyond twenty-four nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the Territorial Sea is measured. (2) In the contiguous zone the Government may exercise the control necessary to: (a) prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, environmental, maritime, fisheries or sanitary and any other relevant laws and regulations of Liberia; (b) punish infringement of such laws and regulations if the infringement is committed within the territories of Liberia or the Territorial Sea. SECTION 5 - Exclusive Economic Zone. (1) The Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic is that area beyond and adjacent to the Territorial Sea which does not extend beyond two hundred nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the Territoria~ Sea is measured. V 2 (2) In the Exclusive Economic Zone the Republic shall, to the extent permitted by international law, have (a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the sea-bed and of the sea­ bed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploration and exploitation of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds; (b) jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of the Convention with regard to: (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; (ii) marine scientific research; (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment; (iv) such other rights and duties as are provided for in the Convention. (3) The lines delimiting the outer limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone shall be shown on official charts of a scale adequate for ascertaining their position. SECTION 6 - Continental Shelf. (1) The Continental Shelf of the Republic shall comprise the sea-bed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond the Territorial Sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to a distance of two hundred nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the Territorial Sea is measured. (2) The Government shall exercise over the Continental Shelf sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring the Continental Shelf and exploiting its natural resources. (3) The rights conferred under subsection (2) of this section shall not affect the legal status of the superjacent waters or of the airspace above those g waters. // 3 (4) For the purposes of this section, the natural resources of the Continental Shelf shall consist of the mineral and other non-living resources of the sea­ bed and subsoil together with living organisms belonging to sedentary species which at the harvestable stage, either are immobile on or under the sea-bed or are unable to move except in constant physical contact with the sea-bed or the subsoil. (5) The lines delimiting the outer limits of the Continental Shelf shall be shown on official charts of a scale adequate for ascertaining their position. SECTION 7 - Proof of Limits of Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. The lines of delimitation of the Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf as drawn on official charts shall be conclusive evidence of the limits of the Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf as specified by sections 1, 5 and 6 of this Executive Order. This Executive Order shall take immediate effect on the date specified below. GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF tl, THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA THIS /IJ DAY OF JANUARY, A. D. 2013. 'Ellen Johnson Sirleaf PRESIDENT REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA 4