Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro submitted the Philippines’ instrument of ratification for the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), also known as the High Seas Treaty, in New York City on Tuesday, September 23.
In her remarks, Lazaro said the agreement aims to address the loss of biological diversity and degradation of ocean ecosystems.
“The Agreement is a milestone in addressing biological diversity loss and the degradation of ocean ecosystems. It is a crucial multilateral framework for an archipelagic state like the Philippines that is located in the world’s center of marine biodiversity, and bounded by the high seas in the Pacific and in the South China Sea. It further implements and reinforces the UNCLOS,” she said.
The foreign affairs secretary also emphasized the Philippines’ advocacy for fair and equitable benefits sharing, capacity building, and marine technology transfer, particularly for developing states.
“The Philippines actively participated in the two-decade process leading up to the BBNJ Agreement. We advocated for the special recognition for archipelagic states – and together with other states, the common heritage of humankind, the fair and equitable sharing of benefits, as well as capacity building and marine technology transfer, particularly for developing states,” she added.
The BBNJ Agreement is the third implementing agreement of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It affirms the country’s responsibility to protect and preserve the marine environment, including the high seas.
As affirmed by the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, the agreement is significant for the Philippines, given its proximity to vast swathes of high seas in the Pacific and pockets of high seas in the South China Sea.
On June 18, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ratified the BBNJ Agreement.
Subsequently, in September, the Senate unanimously granted its concurrence to the ratification with a vote of 17-0.
