31 March – 4 April 2025
Palau International Coral Reef Center, Koror, Palau
Excellencies and Senior Officials,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Alii, and a very warm welcome to you all!
I am honoured to deliver these remarks on this momentous occasion, as we prepare as a region for the first session of the Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) in New York under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
Let me begin by thanking the Government of Palau for supporting OPOC to host this regional coordination on the BBNJ Agreement. It is fitting that we host this meeting in Palau, not only because it is the new home of OPOC, but also as Palau were the first state to ratify the BBNJ Agreement – showing unwavering commitment and dedication to the conservation and the effective management of the Ocean and the resources therein. Since then, our brothers and sisters in RMI and FSM have also ratified the BBNJ Agreement, while others like Kiribati have also recently stepped up to sign the Agreement, and I know Pacific countries are preparing themselves to do the same.
As we prepare for the PrepCom, I am reminded of the powerful statement delivered by Palau on behalf of Pacific SIDS in New York during the final IGC in June 2023. Ambassador Seid emphasized that we must look beyond the “race to ratification” and start to lay the groundwork for implementation. She said that we need to ensure that at its first meeting, the Conference of the Parties is informed and able to make decisions relating to the Capacity-Building and Transfer of Marine Technology Committee, the Scientific and Technical Body, funding arrangements and other matters as required by the Agreement.
And here we all are, continuing the momentum from the 2023 IGC, and laying the groundwork for swift implementation when the Agreement enters into force. We have all travelled from near and far to ensure effective, cohesive, and strategic engagement of PSIDS at the Prep-Comm and to advocate for outcomes that reflect the unique circumstances and priorities of our Region.
I want to acknowledge that the BBNJ Agreement is both ambitious and complex. Therefore, bringing you all together as experts from across the Pacific is critical to inform next steps on the machinery of the Agreement. This week will be technically challenging as we navigate: rules of procedure, operation of subsidiary bodies, financial rules and arrangements, just to name a few topics. But I have the utmost faith that we can navigate these issues together, as we did when negotiating the Agreement itself. I also see many seasoned BBNJ experts in the room who will provide additional leadership as we work through these technical issues.
The BBNJ instrument marks a new era for Ocean governance, and I cannot stress enough the importance of the Pacific’s continued leadership in the Agreement to ensure that the ambitions and priorities of the Pacific are fully realised. We in the Pacific continue to suffer the most from the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. The BBNJ Agreement is one step towards greater balance in environmental issues by creating an enabling environment for integrated ocean management and connecting activities I and processes in the ocean that were previously siloed.
My office remains committed to coordinating with CROP and our partners the necessary support to Members in their efforts to ratify and implement the BBNJ Agreement, in accordance with our mandate from our Forum Leaders.
I wish you a successful and productive meeting this week.
I thank you.
