Sri Lanka has officially ratified the United Nations agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) by depositing its instrument of ratification with the UN, becoming a State Party to the treaty.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this step is another important milestone in Sri Lanka’s long history of leadership in ocean governance. Sri Lanka has already made a major contribution in this field through its role in drafting the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has been actively involved in the BBNJ negotiations from the very beginning.
As a developing country, Sri Lanka views this agreement as a way to ensure fair access to and protection of ocean resources for the benefit of all humanity. Ratifying the treaty will allow Sri Lanka to share in the benefits of resources found in areas beyond national borders, such as marine genetic resources (MGRs) and digital sequence information (DSI).
The agreement also emphasizes capacity building and technology transfer, which will help countries like Sri Lanka strengthen their ability to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity. In addition, it will give Sri Lanka the opportunity to work closely with other nations to protect ocean biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and support global Sustainable Development Goals.
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