Argentina’s President Javier Milei announced on Monday that the country will initiate international arbitration against the United Kingdom over what he described as the “illegal plunder” of resources in the Malvinas Islands.
Argentine President Javier Milei announced on September 28 that he has instructed the Foreign Ministry and government legal teams to initiate international arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom over what he described as the “illegal plunder” of Argentine resources through the Sea Lion oil project, located in the North Malvinas Basin.
“If in two weeks the United Kingdom does not halt the illegitimate exploitation, we will go to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,” the government affirmed.
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President Milei warned that if the UK does not halt the exploitation within two weeks, Argentina will take the matter to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The announcement was made during a commemorative event marking the 44th anniversary of the Malvinas War. Milei instructed the Foreign Ministry and legal teams to prepare for the arbitration under the Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The government specified that the proceedings will be initiated under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, aiming to block hydrocarbon exploitation in the North Malvinas Basin through the Sea Lion project, as well as any other measures that Argentina believes could further aggravate the dispute.
In an official statement, the President’s Office argued that the unilateral exploitation of natural resources in the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and their surrounding maritime spaces, “is contrary to international law” and causes “irreversible and irreparable harm” to the sovereignty rights claimed by Argentina.
DEFENDIENDO CON HECHOS
Instruí a la Cancillería y a nuestros equipos jurídicos a iniciar el arbitraje internacional contra el Reino Unido por el saqueo ilegal de nuestros recursos a través del Proyecto Sea Lion en la Cuenca Malvinas Norte.
Si en 2 semanas el Reino Unido no… https://t.co/JTaBcQ7RGT
— Javier Milei (@JMilei) September 28, 2026
Text reads: “Defending with facts. I instructed the Foreign Ministry and our legal teams to initiate international arbitration against the United Kingdom for the illegal looting of our resources through the Sea Lion Project in the North Malvinas Basin. If in two weeks the UK does not stop the illegitimate exploitation, we will go to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Malvinas are Argentinean and defend themselves with deeds, not words”.
The Argentinean government also cited UN General Assembly Resolution 2065, which recognizes the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom and calls on both governments to find a peaceful solution through negotiations. It further referenced Resolution 31/49, which calls on both parties to refrain from adopting decisions that would imply unilateral modifications while the process recommended by the United Nations continues.
New Sanctions Announced
In addition to the arbitration announcement, the Milei’s government unveiled new measures targeting Thales UK Limited, after detecting operations by a British-registered aircraft flying between the Malvinas Islands and Punta Arenas, Chile, without Argentine authorization. Milei ordered the “urgent” initiation of sanctions proceedings, criminal complaints and diplomatic actions in response to those flights.
The new offensive comes amid an escalating series of measures targeting the Sea Lion project, led by Navitas Petroleum and Rockhopper Exploration. In early September, Argentina’s government launched sanctions proceedings against companies and suppliers linked to hydrocarbon activities it considers unauthorized, and filed a criminal complaint against the companies involved.
The escalation of tensions comes as Milei continues to push for a resolution to the long-standing sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas Islands. During his address to the United Nations General Assembly earlier this month, Milei called on the UK to resume negotiations over the islands’ sovereignty. The Argentine President warned that his country would take decisive action against companies exploiting resources without Buenos Aires’ authorization.
Monday’s announcement marks one of the most significant escalations yet in Argentina’s ongoing dispute with the UK over Malvinas, moving the confrontation from unilateral sanctions and diplomatic protests toward formal international legal action. The move sets a firm two-week deadline for London to respond, positioning the case for potential referral to international maritime courts if the exploitation activities continue, and signals that the Argentinean government intends to pursue the historical sovereignty claim through increasingly assertive legal and diplomatic channels in the months ahead.
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