Freetown, Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone’s Parliament has ratified the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, a global treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea aimed at advancing fair and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in international waters.
The agreement was presented in Parliament by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Kabba. Sierra Leone played a significant role in shaping the final treaty, with the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Michael Imran Kanu, leading the Group of African Negotiators throughout the negotiation process.
The BBNJ Agreement is expected to strengthen Sierra Leone’s position in global ocean governance, enhance the country’s capacity to manage marine resources, and increase access to international tools and expertise for the creation and oversight of marine protected areas. It will also provide a framework for assessing environmental impacts in marine environments and promote the fair and equitable sharing of marine genetic resources and the benefits derived from them.
Through this ratification, Sierra Leone stands to attract technical and financial support to further its marine conservation efforts, expand the sustainable use of marine biodiversity, and reinforce national strategies to address the effects of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
