Historic signing of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement indicative of South Africa’s Leadership in Ocean Conservation and Sustainability

10 June 2025

In a powerful moment that saw South Africa being one of the signatories of the historic Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, highlighted South Africa’s key role in advancing equity, science-based governance, and environmental stewardship in the high seas.

Minister George was speaking after the high-level signing ceremony which took place during the third United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3) hosted in Nice, France on 9 June 2025.

“As part of our long standing commitment to strengthening the rule of law in ocean affairs, South Africa played an active role in negotiating the new international BBNJ 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,” said Minister George.

The Minister called for strengthened global cooperation, enhanced scientific collaboration, and scaled-up financial and technical support to developing economy countries to enable the full and inclusive operationalisation of the legally binding BBNJ Agreement. He further encouraged all Member States and regional organisations to sign and ratify the Agreement without delay to ensure its timely entry into force and effective implementation, in the shared interest of safeguarding marine biodiversity for present and future generations.

The BBNJ Agreement, often referred to as the “High Seas Treaty”, addresses critical gaps in the governance of the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdictions. It introduces tools such as area-based management, environmental impact assessments, capacity building, and a mechanism for sharing marine genetic resources.

Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, UNOC3 seeks to accelerate global action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 14: ‘Life Below Water’. In line with South Africa’s existing legal frameworks, the signing of the BBNJ is expected to bolster global ocean governance and help advance local efforts to build the economy, without compromising our ocean.

The ocean is a life source - essential for climate regulation, food security, livelihoods, and economic development, particularly in developing economy states. Unfortunately, the world’s oceans face escalating threats from climate change, biodiversity loss, and marine pollution, these impacts demand urgent, inclusive, and science-based action.

For South Africa, these international platforms and instruments play a vital role in enhancing some of the groundbreaking work that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is already leading, not only in Africa, but in the world. The Department continues to advance groundbreaking work in marine spatial planning, marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, and inclusive coastal management—all of which position South Africa as a thought leader in ocean sustainability on the continent and beyond.

“South Africa values the integration of robust scientific research and traditional knowledge systems in ocean governance. This dual approach strengthens decision-making, ensures cultural inclusion, and builds community ownership,” said Minister George.

South Africa’s signature of the BBNJ Agreement builds on its record of active multilateral engagement and positions the country as a bridge-builder between global ambition and local action in the ocean space.

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Chelsey Wilken
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E-mail: cwilken@dffe.gov.za