Successful Conclusion of Negotiations Under Singapore's Presidency on a New United Nations Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

On 4 March 2023, the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), presided over by Rena Lee, Singapore’s Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues and Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, successfully concluded negotiations on a new international agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.   

The BBNJ Agreement is the culmination of discussions that began in 2004 under the auspices of the United Nations to enhance the international legal regime concerning the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in the oceans beyond the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of states. Despite being extremely biodiverse, only 1% of the high seas is currently regulated. The BBNJ Agreement is therefore a major step forward in contributing to the governance of the global commons. Singapore has presided over negotiations of the Agreement since September 2018.

The BBNJ Agreement covers access to and use of marine genetic resources; the adoption of conservation and sustainable use measures and the conduct of environmental impact assessments in the maritime areas beyond national jurisdiction; and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. 

An innovative aspect of the BBNJ Agreement involves a commitment by developed countries to provide an additional 50% of their annual financial contributions under the Agreement to fund capacity-building projects which will help developing countries conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, as well as to implement the Agreement. The BBNJ Agreement also commits states to share benefits from the use of marine genetic resources including by facilitating access to samples and data from scientific research into marine organisms of the areas beyond national jurisdiction to researchers from both developed and developing countries.

An MFA Spokesperson said:

“Singapore welcomes the successful and timely conclusion of the BBNJ Agreement, which comes just after the 40^th anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS in 1982 under another Singaporean President, Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh. The success of the BBNJ Intergovernmental Conference process reaffirms the importance and relevance of UNCLOS and multilateral cooperation, and the United Nations in establishing and upholding a rules-based international order. Ambassador Lee’s leadership and guidance enabled parties to bridge differences and arrive at an ambitious and future-proof BBNJ Agreement.

Singapore looks forward to the universal adoption and effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.”

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

5 MARCH 2023

Photo caption: The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) congratulating its President, Ambassador Rena Lee, on the successful conclusion of the BBNJ treaty

Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Photo caption: The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) congratulating its President, Ambassador Rena Lee, on the successful conclusion of the BBNJ treaty

Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Photo caption: The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) congratulating its President, Ambassador Rena Lee, on the successful conclusion of the BBNJ treaty

Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore