The ONU Monaco confirms its commitment to the conservation of marine biodiversity in the high seas

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, the Principality became the first European and Mediterranean state to ratify the Agreement on High Seas 1, known as the “BBNJ Agreement”, when H.E. Mrs. Isabelle Picco, Permanent Representative of Monaco to the United Nations (UN), presented the instrument of ratification to the Head of the Treaties Section of the Organization. This ratification followed the signing of the Agreement by H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince on the first day of its opening for signature, September 20, 2023, in New York. The BBNJ Agreement, which complements the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, aims to protect, restore, and ensure the sustainable use of the marine environment, maintain the integrity of ocean ecosystems, and conserve the inherent value of biological diversity, for example, through the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas. The negotiation process lasted nearly 20 years, and Monaco actively participated in all its stages, starting from the creation of an informal working group (2004-2015). The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as “Rio +20”, before which the Principality had hosted a preparatory workshop on ocean sustainability, was an important step to accelerate the work. Monaco’s contribution and proposals made during the sessions of the Preparatory Committee (2016-2017) and the Intergovernmental Conference tasked with drafting the text of the Agreement (2018-2023) were unanimously praised, and the resulting outcome constitutes a victory for multilateralism. To date, the text has been the subject of five ratifications (Palau, Chile, Belize, Seychelles, and the Principality of Monaco). Current efforts raise hopes that the remaining fifty-five ratifications needed for entry into force could be deposited in the coming months at the UN.