UNGA 79: Nigeria Expresses ECOWAS’ Commitment To Global Ocean Protection, BBNJ Agreement
The Federal Republic of Nigeria has expressed the commitment of the member states of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) to the speedy implementation of the United Nations agreement on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ). This was stated by Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment at the High-Level event of High Ambition for High Seas held at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly- New York (UNGA 79) session on September 24, 2024.
The Minister who said he was thrilled to see Gambia and the Republic of Liberia at the session said their presence is another clear signal that the ECOWAS region is united in actively pursuing the effective protection of at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
“We all know that the BBNJ Treaty is the only international agreement available for establishing marine protected areas outside national boundaries. The West Africa is on a clear path towards ensuring we are proactive and equipped to designate the first generation of highly and fully protected marine protected areas in the high-seas. In sub-region, we are acutely aware of how fast our oceans are being drained of their ability to support us. We know healthy oceans are essential for our region and we recognize with deep concern that our oceans are affected by processes far beyond our national boundaries.
“I have said it a number of times, each time with more urgency and today with much more urgency, the BBNJ Agreement will enable us to highly and fully protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 by establishing enormous marine protected areas in the global ocean. We cannot afford to wait and I am proud to announce that Nigeria is committed to continue working with the 15 other ECOWAS countries and other ambitious countries, most them here present to seek the designation of effective marine protected areas in the global ocean. We must hit the ground running the very moment the BBNJ Agreement comes into force because we are already behind. We must act immediately and use mechanisms approved in the BBNJ Agreement to establish highly and fully protected MPAs covering at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
“With generous technical support from organizations like the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative and the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than half of all ECOWAS member States will have signed the BBNJ Agreement by the end of this UN General Assembly session and are now on the path to ratification. The road towards ratification remains arduous but we are definitely making progress and we are now projecting ourselves in the future to ensure we play an active role in the implementation of the treaty by seeking the designation of effective marine protected areas covering at least 30% of the Planet”, the Minister noted.
He said the vision for the future should be to establish a highly protected marine areas. He added that Nigeria is committed to working together with other nations to prioritize the protection of our blue ally now for the generations to come.
