BY AKUDORO GLORIA
Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with other ECOWAS countries in ensuring full implementation of BBNJ Agreement for the effective protection of at least 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
The Minister stated this in his address at the High Ambition for High Seas holding on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) Session in New York on Tuesday, 24th September, 2024.
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction was adopted on 19 June 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
The Agreement is said to be open for signature by all States and regional economic integration organizations from 20 September 2023 to 20 September 2025, and will enter into force 120 days after the date of deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification, approval and acceptance or accession.
Thrilled by the participation of some West African nations, the Minister said their engagement resonates yet another clear signal that the ECOWAS region is united in actively pursuing the effective protection of at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by the year 2030.
“We all know that the BBNJ Treaty is the only international agreement available for establishing marine protected areas outside national boundaries. The West Africa is on a clear path towards ensuring we are proactive and equipped to designate the first generation of highly and fully protected marine protected areas in the high-seas.
“In sub-region, we are acutely aware of how fast our oceans are being drained of their ability to support us. We know healthy oceans are essential for our region and we recognize with deep concern that our oceans are affected by processes far beyond our national boundaries.
“I have said it a number of times, each time with more urgency and today with much more urgency, the BBNJ Agreement will enable us to highly and fully protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 by establishing enormous marine protected areas in the global ocean.
“We cannot afford to wait and I am proud to announce that Nigeria is committed to continue working with the 15 other ECOWAS countries and other ambitious countries, most them here present to seek the designation of effective marine protected areas in the global ocean.
“We must hit the ground running the very moment the BBNJ Agreement comes into force because we are already behind. We must act immediately and use mechanisms approved in the BBNJ Agreement to establish highly and fully protected MPAs covering at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030,” the Minister stated.
Speaking further, Dr. Salako expressed optimism that with huge technical support from organizations like the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative and the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than half of all ECOWAS member States will have signed the BBNJ Agreement by the end of UNGA 79 session and be on the path to ratification.
“The road towards ratification remains arduous but we are definitely making progress and we are now projecting ourselves in the future to ensure we play an active role in the implementation of the treaty by seeking the designation of effective marine protected areas covering at least 30% of the Planet. Let us work to have 60 ratifications as soon as possible but not later than June 2025,” the Minister said.