Egypt Signs BBNJ Agreement for the Protection of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions
On October 14, 2024, H.E. Osama Abdel Khalek, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations in New York, signed, on behalf of his country, the 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.
Known as the BBNJ Agreement (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction), it is the first global and cross-sectoral treaty on oceans in several decades. Adopted on June 19, 2023, after nearly twenty years of negotiations, its adoption marks a historic achievement in efforts to ensure the health and resilience of ocean ecosystems, and to standardize conditions for participation and benefit from activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The treaty covers a range of issues within the overall objective of ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction for the present and long term, through effective implementation of relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and enhanced international cooperation and coordination. It defines specific measures concerning these issues, the modalities for implementing and monitoring these measures, as well as the institutional arrangements to support its implementation.
Egypt’s signing of this agreement reflects its continued pioneering role in the field of the law of the sea and its concern to develop legal frameworks related to environmental protection and to support efforts aimed at preserving and ensuring justice and equity in the use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which represent a common heritage of humanity.
