Namibia backs global pact to protect oceans

Namibia has welcomed a new global agreement aimed at conserving marine biodiversity and protecting high seas ecosystems beyond national borders.

The Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) was adopted after collecting the required 60 ratifications, and comes into effect in January.

It aims to help contribute to global efforts in protecting and conserving the high seas.

Executive director of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Teofilus Nghitila says a Namibian technical committee was part of the United Nations-led intergovernmental negotiations which led to the adoption of the BBNJ, and the committee made recommendations for the country to ratify the agreement, however, this is no longer necessary.

Namibia will therefore accede to the agreement.

Ratification involves formally consenting, making the agreement legally binding.

In international law, acceding to a treaty means a country is joining it and agreeing to be bound by its terms, even if it was not one of the original signatories.

The adoption of the BNNJ is seen as a historic achievement in the international negotiation regime as it marks an end of more than a decade of multilateral negotiations towards its establishment.

The high seas provide invaluable ecological, economic, social and food security benefits to humanity and are in need of urgent protection.

Marine areas beyond national jurisdiction cover nearly two thirds of the world’s oceans, comprising the high seas and the seabed area (beyond national jurisdictions).

However, they are under mounting pressure from pollution, including noise, overexploitation, climate change and a loss of biodiversity.

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