Litia Cava 
IUCN Oceania team members
Regional partners are calling on Fiji to speed up its ratification of the BBNJ Agreement as other countries move forward with their commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The BBNJ Agreement is an international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Samoa is hosting a national workshop to strengthen its implementation of the agreement.
The Government of Samoa, in partnership with the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is leading discussions with national agencies.
The workshop aims to clarify the roles of key stakeholders and align existing policies with the agreement’s objectives.
IUCN Oceania Regional Director Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago said the BBNJ framework was crucial for the Pacific, given the region’s reliance on ocean resources.
IUCN Oceania Regional Director – Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago BBNJ Agreement
She highlighted that overexploitation and climate change threaten marine ecosystems and called for stronger collaboration in protecting biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.
The BBNJ Agreement, adopted on June 19, 2023, establishes guidelines for the fair use of marine genetic resources and strengthens measures to prevent environmental degradation.
IUCN’s involvement in the BBNJ process includes legislative reviews and capacity-building programs across Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
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