Vietnam promotes preparations for effective implementation of the Agreement on Biodiversity in International Seas

Within the framework of the International Law Week, the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, on the afternoon of October 31 (local time), Vietnam and Singapore co-organized the International Seminar "Necessary preparatory steps for the effective implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Seas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ): Challenges and Opportunities" under the chairmanship of Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations Do Hung Viet.

The discussion took place under the chairmanship of Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations Do Hung Viet.

The event, co-sponsored by Australia, France, Costa Rica, Belize and the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS), attracted the participation of the world's leading experts and scholars on maritime law and delegates representing nearly 100 countries from all five continents.

The Agreement under the UNCLOS on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Seas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) will officially come into force from January 17, 2026, after reaching the milestone of 60 ratifications and approvals on September 19. Immediately after the BBNJ Agreement was adopted, the Preparatory Committee established in early 2024 held two sessions to discuss specific provisions on procedures and organization of agencies and institutions established under the Agreement such as: Conference of the Parties (COP), Scientific and Technical Agency, Financial Mechanism, Information Sharing Mechanism, Compliance and Enforcement Committee and Agreement Secretariat to create the basis for implementing new, groundbreaking provisions of the Agreement on all four pillars: access, exploitation, and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of marine genetic resources; establishing and managing marine protected areas, assessing the environmental impacts of activities in waters beyond national jurisdiction, and building capacity and transferring marine technology.

The international seminar “Necessary preparations for the effective implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ): Challenges and Opportunities” took place on October 31.

In the context that there are only more than two months left for the Agreement to officially come into effect, speaking at the seminar, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Conference on Negotiating the BBNJ Agreement and the two Co-Chairs of the BBNJ Preparatory Committee both emphasized that the Agreement being approved by consensus and coming into effect is just the beginning, and countries need to further promote the discussion process within the framework of the Preparatory Committee, soon agree on procedural rules and make necessary institutional arrangements so that the Agreement's agencies can come into operation immediately after COP 1 (which will be convened between now and January 2027).

In addition, Ambassadors and legal experts from France, Costa Rica, Cabo Verde, Palau, Sierra Leone, AOSIS and many other countries discussed in depth the significance, opportunities and challenges for countries, especially developing countries and small island states, in implementing regulations on environmental impact assessment (EIA), establishing regional management tools (ABMTs), and directions for building a fair and sustainable financial mechanism based on lessons learned from the operation of many multilateral agreements in recent times.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vietnam's candidate for judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, was the keynote speaker at the seminar.

Participating as a keynote speaker at the Seminar, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vietnam’s candidate for the position of judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), shared about the national-level preparations for implementing the Agreement, affirming that capacity building and marine technology transfer are important components to ensure effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, creating a mechanism to help developing countries improve their domestic legal and institutional frameworks, as well as training and improving the capacity of marine scientific research, helping scientists from developing countries to participate substantially in activities of collecting, researching and using marine genetic resources in the high seas and deep seabed.

Developing countries should assess their needs and priorities, promote regional and international cooperation, make full use of the Agreement's financial institutions and mechanisms, and actively and substantially participate in implementing all four pillars of the Agreement, thereby proactively ensuring their national interests while contributing to promoting the protection of marine biodiversity as well as the conservation and sustainable use of resources in international waters.

In his concluding remarks, on behalf of the co-organizing and co-sponsoring countries of the Dialogue, Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation Do Hung Viet expressed his confidence in the future and opportunities that the Agreement brings, calling on countries to continue to accelerate institutional and legal preparations at all levels to move to the implementation phase of the BBNJ Agreement in the coming time with the spirit of cooperation, constructive dialogue and goodwill as in the negotiation, signing and ratification phases to bring the Agreement into effect in the past time.

* The BBNJ Agreement was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on June 19, 2023 after nearly two decades of negotiations, opened for signing in New York on September 20, 2023, and has so far been signed by 145 countries and ratified by 75 countries. Vietnam is one of the first countries to sign the Agreement on the first day of signing and is among the leading countries in completing internal procedures to ratify the Agreement, directly contributing to the Agreement meeting the condition of having 60 countries ratify and approve it to come into effect.

The organization of this Dialogue, together with our country's efforts and active contributions to the previous BBNJ process, once again affirms that Vietnam is an active and responsible member of the international community, joining hands with countries around the world to solve global issues related to seas and oceans.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/viet-nam-thuc-day-cac-buoc-chuan-bi-thuc-thi-hieu-qua-hiep-dinh-ve-da-dang-bi-hoc-tai-cac-vung-bien-quoc-te-333069.html