Litia Cava 
[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is poised to sign the High Seas Treaty at a special event during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week later this month.
The High Seas Treaty, aimed at safeguarding the ocean, promoting fairness, combatting environmental degradation, addressing climate change, and preventing biodiversity loss in the high seas, marks a historic milestone following over a decade of multilateral negotiations.
Formal ratification awaits approval from Fiji’s Parliament, with the treaty becoming effective upon ratification by 60 parties.
Cabinet has approved the signing of the legally binding for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Treaty) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This treaty focuses on the conservation and sustainable utilization of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, beyond the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones.
The broader objectives encompass long-term conservation, UNCLOS compliance, international cooperation, and a novel linkage between climate change and maritime law, filling a gap left by UNCLOS, which didn’t account for climate change’s impact on the marine environment during its initial negotiation.
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