Landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Between the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) and the High Seas Alliance advances regional cooperation on implementation of the BBNJ Agreement
New York, 21 September – On the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (Acting through the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat) and the High Seas Alliance, represented by its Director Rebecca Hubbard, formalized a landmark Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on the governance of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The High Seas Alliance, a member of the Pacific Ocean Alliance (POA), joins OPOC in advancing inclusive and coordinated ocean governance across the Pacific region.
The MoU establishes a collaborative framework to support the effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, promote the designation and management of High Seas Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and ensure the recognition and participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP&lcs) as holders of traditional knowledge. It also reinforces OPOC’s role as the Pacific’s regional coordinator for BBNJ, assisting Pacific Islands Forum members to ratify and implement the Agreement in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.This partnership marks a significant step for Pacific leadership in High Seas governance, ensuring the Pacific region’s priorities are strongly represented in global decision-making.
