SAMOA RATIFIES UN HIGH SEAS TREATY
(Photo: United Nations)
The biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) accord, often known as the UN High Seas Treaty, has been ratified by Samoa and seven other Pacific Islands Forum members.
After over two decades of discussions, the BBNJ pact was approved in June of this year. On Wednesday, September 20, at the UN's headquarters in New York, it was formally made available for signature by all member nations.
The pact was initially signed by the Federated States of Micronesia, and thereafter nations from the area including Palau, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu, Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia did the same.
According to Dr. Filimon Manoni, the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, "The ocean and its living species, many of which are protective totems to many families in the Pacific region, do not know the maritime borders established with the law of the sea."
"This paradigm, which places States as the only stakeholders in charge of governing the ocean, has caused our society's relationship to the ocean and its resources to become more personal. According to him, "exploitation and use have become more common than respect and care.
Manoni claimed that the BBNJ agreement provides a legal tool for productive cooperation to protect the ocean.
"It recognizes and supports the unique relationship and connectivity we have with our ocean, both within and across national boundaries. It acknowledges that as residents of Pacific islands, we are interested in events occurring elsewhere. It also acknowledges the importance of our communities' traditional knowledge holders' contributions to biodiversity protection and sustainable usage, even outside of our own country. The BBNJ Agreement is "ambitious," the Pacific Ocean Commissioner remarked.
"To meet the problems we confront and help us realize our full potential, there will need to be the delivery of enough funds, support for the development of capacity, particularly our science skills, as well as transfer and development of technology. We all share ownership of our ocean, thus maintaining it is a worldwide obligation.
"Working together will be necessary if we are to allow our ocean to breathe, as we can only travel quickly and far when we paddle in unison. He claimed that all UN member states had to ratify the treaty for it to "truly paradigm shift." The fast conclusion of this treaty's discussions has previously been requested by Forum Leaders, he said.
"Pacific delegates have devoted countless hours to completing this accord, with assistance from regional partners. He stated that his office will collaborate in the upcoming months to assist Pacific Island nations in "ratifying and implementing the treaty." "Our activities in that area will help bring the Blue Pacific Continent narrative's vision to life, as well as the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy. "Our Ocean will benefit from today. For our Blue Pacific region, it is a good day, he declared.