Papua New Guinea has signed a landmark treaty for the governance of the high seas at the 3rd  United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice, France.

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape signed the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) on Monday (09.06.25) at around 7pm (Local Time).

The signing of this important treaty followed soon after Prime Minister Marape addressed the conference with Papua New Guinea’s Country Statement, highlighting the importance in the role the ocean plays in the livelihood of the people of Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.

“Papua New Guinea is proud to stand together with the international community in signing the BBNJ Agreement. It reflects our unwavering support for multilateral action and responsible stewardship of our global commons,” said PM Marape as he arrived on Sunday in France to join 148 leaders from across the world in the UN conference on ocean governance and management.

The signing of the BBNJ Agreement continues PNG’s efforts in protecting its marine resources beyond its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

As an existing member to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the signing reaffirms PNG’s strong commitment to upholding the Convention and protecting the Pacific Ocean.

PM Marape said, “We are committed to ensuring the relevant international laws governing the sustainable use and management of our country’s oceans and maritime resources are upheld and carefully articulated in our national policies, strategies, and plans.

“In this spirit, I have the distinct pleasure and honour to announce that today, Papua New Guinea signed up to the Special Treaty Event, the BBNJ Agreement (High Seas Treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 19 June 2023. We will work toward its ratification.”

He also reaffirmed PNG’s continued support toward the treaty on plastics which is being currently negotiated and urged that this be concluded successfully soon.

The BBNJ Agreement, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, was adopted on 19 June 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction convened under the auspices of the UN. It has become the third implementing agreement to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Under the overall objective of the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, for the present and in the long-term, through effective implementation of the relevant provisions of the Convention and further international cooperation and coordination, the Agreement addresses 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.

The Agreement also addresses a number of “cross-cutting issues”, establishes a funding mechanism and sets up institutional arrangements, including a Conference of the Parties and various subsidiary bodies, a Clearing-House Mechanism and a secretariat.

The Agreement is 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, acceptance or accession.