ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday signed a landmark United Nations treaty aimed at conserving marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, highlighting its support for multilateral environmental frameworks and equitable ocean governance.
The treaty, formally known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the UN headquarters in New York.
Known as the BBNJ Agreement, the pact is the first-ever international legal framework dedicated to protecting ocean life in the high seas, areas that fall outside any single country’s jurisdiction and cover nearly half the Earth’s surface.
“Pakistan’s signing of the BBNJ Agreement reflects its continued commitment to multilateral cooperation and to the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction,” the foreign office said in a statement.
The treaty provides a basis for creating marine protected areas, assessing environmental impacts and ensuring fair benefit-sharing of marine genetic resources.
The foreign office said Pakistan played a central role in shaping the agreement, serving as Chair of the G77 and China during two key negotiation sessions in 2022.
Representing the collective voice of developing countries, it advocated for equitable access to marine resources, technology transfer and capacity-building, in line with the principle of the common heritage of humankind.
The treaty was formally adopted by UN member states in June 2023, after nearly two decades of negotiations.
Pakistan’s early engagement and leadership during the final talks positioned it among countries seeking stronger global frameworks to address environmental and equity concerns in ocean governance.
The agreement is seen as essential to meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.
