The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been instrumental in the negotiations for the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, a global treaty endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in June 2023. This treaty aims to ensure the sustainable use and management of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions.
CARICOM collaborated with other nations and civil society organizations to secure a positive outcome for the BBNJ Agreement negotiations. Through various initiatives, CARICOM has shown leadership by innovating, adapting, and combining resources to remain influential throughout the negotiation process.
Community’s involvement
The Community’s involvement was marked by active participation, collaboration and unity, the promotion of open dialogue, and a focus on sustainable development.
To manage their oceans and seas effectively, a multi-stakeholder approach is essential. In this context, CARICOM looks forward to continuing vital collaborations and partnerships, as well as forging new ones, as it moves towards the implementation and enforcement of this significant agreement.
Currently, 89 UN member countries have signed the agreement, including six CARICOM Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, The Bahamas, Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Belize has already ratified the treaty, becoming the first CARICOM Member State to do so. The BBNJ Agreement will come into force when at least 60 countries ratify it.
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To ensure ongoing engagement, CARICOM Foreign Ministers at the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) mandated the creation of a Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (MSAG) to support and guide countries towards ratification and early implementation of the treaty. At the second MSAG workshop in April 2024 in Miami, Florida, which included treaty negotiators, representatives from Attorneys-General offices across the region, and technical experts on oceans and biodiversity, CARICOM General Counsel, Lisa Shoman, called for enhanced dialogue to promote the treaty at the national level. This workshop facilitated the finalization of a Regional Work Plan to guide CARICOM Member States towards ratification and raise awareness of the treaty and its potential for blue economic growth among national stakeholders.
At the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the COFCOR held in Roseau, Dominica, from May 23-24, 2024, CARICOM Foreign Ministers approved the Regional Work Plan.
CARICOM’s active involvement in the BBNJ negotiations underscores its commitment to marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. As the Community prepares for the first Conference of the Parties for the BBNJ Treaty, CARICOM’s role will undoubtedly be essential in shaping the future of our oceans.
