The treaty of the Biodiversity of Areas Beyond Marine Jurisdiction or the Treaty of the High Seas, which is still under negotiation is of critical importance to the Pacific Islands as it will impact our culture, food, livelihoods, and national economies.
Negotiations on the BBNJ Treaty have been ongoing for the last 18 years, the latest were held over two weeks from August 15-26 with the fifth Intergovernmental Conference (IGC-5) focusing discussions on marine genetic resources (MGRs), benefit-sharing, area-based management tools (ABMTs), marine protected areas (MPAs) and other cross-cutting issues.
The failure of IGC-5 to reach an agreement was obviously met with disappointment by Small Islands and Developing States, which was summed up by Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Secretary General, Henry Puna who said the region needed the treaty, as it would “contribute to the health, productivity, and resilience of our Ocean, rooted in inter and intra generational equity”.