Nigeria signs treaty for conservation of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions

Nigeria signs treaty for conservation of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions

Joel Oladele, Abuja 

As part of efforts  towards marine conservation and sustainable use, Nigeria has signed the Treaty on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ).

The ceremony was  held on Friday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa, to sign the agreement on behalf of the Nigerian government.

According to a statement signed on Saturday by the Spokesperson of the ministry, Ambassador, Francisca Omoyuli, the BBNJ Agreement was adopted on June 19, 2023, during the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the United Nations.

The agreement is aimed to address crucial issues related to marine genetic resources, area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments, capacity-building, and technology transfer.

“The BBNJ Agreement becomes the third implementing agreement to the United Nations Convention on the Law Of the Sea.

“The BBNJ Agreement aims to address four main issues, Marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits; Measures such as area-based management tools, including Marine protected areas; Environmental impact assessments; and Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology.

 “Nigeria played an active role in the negotiations and the eventual adoption of the Treaty. It is the 90th country to sign the Treaty and efforts would be made to ratify it as soon as possible. 

“The BBNJ Agreement is open for signature by all States and regional economic integration organizations from 20th September, 2023 to 20 September 2025, and will enter into force 120 days after the date of deposition of the sixtieth instrument of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession. As of today 90 Countries have signed and Nigeria is the Ninetieth country on the list. Four countries have ratified including Belize, Palau, Seychelles and Chile,” the statement partly read.