HIGH SEAS TREATY: RACE FOR RATIFICATION PICKS UP PACE AT UNGA 79! 102 SIGNATORIES AND 13 RATIFICATIONS

By Nathalie Rey, strategic advisor for the High Seas Alliance.

As the 2024 UN General Assembly (UNGA) Leaders’ Week draws to a close in New York, Nathalie Rey reflects on the growing political momentum towards ratifying the High Seas Treaty.

What an incredible week it’s been for the ocean! A year since it opened to signatures at the UN General Assembly in September 2023, support for the new High Seas Treaty reached a significant milestone. At the time of publication, 102 nations have joined the Race for Ratification by signing the Treaty, and 13 countries have ratified it (check the latest numbers on the Ratification Tracker).

The Maldives, Singapore and Bangladesh became the first Asian countries to ratify the Treaty this week so far, along with Barbados and Timor-Leste. 

What’s more, ten nations – eight of which are Africa States – have signed the Treaty, thereby signalling their intent to ratify: Gambia, Liberia, Kenya, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, São Tomé and Príncipe, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Jamaica, Barbados, and India.

A key moment this week was the inspiring high-level event – High Ambition for the High Seas – held on the fringes of UNGA79 to celebrate the heightening political support for the swift ratification of the High Seas Treaty. 

Organized by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, Mission Blue, and the High Seas Alliance, it was attended by high-level leaders from the governments of Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, the European Commission, France, Gambia, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Turkey, and the UK.

Despite the very early morning start, there was high energy and optimism at the event. Chile unveiled a new leadership initiative – BBNJ First Movers (apparently that is still a working title!) – to accelerate the first generation of marine protected areas in international waters, ready for the Treaty’s entry into force and its Conference of the Parties, and a number ofgovernment ministers announced news of their signing and ratification progress.

Watch this vlog featuring Lisa Speer, Director of the International Ocean Program at NRDS, speaking at the event.  

During the High-level event, a further six more countries signed onto the Octavia Declaration – showing their commitment to ratifying the Treaty as soon as possible and to work together to secure the 60+ ratifications needed for the Treaty to enter into force. 

As signatures and ratifications continue to climb in the coming months, we are also looking forward to the Biodiversity Summit in Cali Colombia (CBD COP16) in October as a next key milestone in the Race for Ratification to celebrate and encourage further High Seas action!