Sri Lanka has become a signatory to the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

This agreement that was negotiated by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction was adopted on 19 June 2023 and it is implemented under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Sri Lanka is the 109th signatory to the Agreement, which has been ratified by 17 countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said in a statement.

Following the signing of the agreement, the Government of Sri Lanka will establish an Inter-Ministerial Committee to oversee the ratification of the agreement and implementation of the Agreement’s provisions. 

The Committee is expected to commence and coordinate the drafting of legislation with international assistance to develop the necessary domestic legal framework aimed at early ratification, it added.

Joining the BBNJ Agreement will enhance Sri Lanka’s potential to receive assistance for capacity-building projects, transfer of technology, and knowledge sharing in the country’s efforts in marine conservation. Signing this Agreement demonstrates Sri Lanka’s continued commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and ensuring ocean governance through multilateral collaboration.