The government of Maldives has decided to sign 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’.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih reached the decision to sign 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’ also known as the BBNJ Treaty, following recommendations from his Cabinet of Ministers.

As such, deliberations were held on a paper submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

President Solih has since decided to submit the text of the BBNJ Treaty for parliamentary approval.

The BBNJ Treaty is the most productive global initiative initiated to protect the biological diversity of marine ecosystems in open seas beyond the national jurisdiction, to date.

Its main objective is to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, for the present and in the long term, through effective implementation of the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea and further international cooperation and coordination.

During Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology shed light on the importance of the participation of a small island nation such as the Maldives in the treaty, considering its relevance to protect and sustain marine life in the open seas.

To date, the treaty has 83 signatory nations.