The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism has announced that Sri Lanka’s Instrument of Ratification on 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 Agreement) has been deposited with the United Nations, becoming a State Party to the Convention.

The ratification of the BBNJ agreement marks another milestone in Sri Lanka’s continued legacy of leadership in ocean governance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Sri Lanka has played an instrumental role in international maritime governance, most notably through its leadership in the development of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Sri Lanka actively engaged in the negotiation of the BBNJ Agreement since inception of discussions.

As a developing country, Sri Lanka is proud to be part of this historic journey to internationally recognize equitable access to and protection of ocean resources for the benefit of humanity. Sri Lanka, along with other developing nations, views the Agreement’s implementation as a means to enhance conservation and the sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.

By ratifying the BBNJ Agreement, Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to benefit from fair and equitable sharing of resources such as marine genetic resources (MGRs) and digital sequence information (DSI) from areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Agreement also prioritizes capacity building and the transfer of marine technology, empowering developing countries like Sri Lanka to enhance its capabilities in conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.
Moreover, the Agreement will also enable Sri Lanka to work collectively with other nations to protect biodiversity, build climate resilience, and advance Sustainable Development Goals.