India commits to sign High Seas Treaty; The Bay of Bengal project is working to gather more approvals

The Bay of Bengal Project (BOBP-IGO), a Regional Fisheries Advisory Group with member countries including Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka – has made progress in getting several Southeast Asian countries to recognize biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Treaty also known as High Seas Treaty.

The High Seas Agreement is the result of nearly two decades of UN-facilitated negotiations that culminated in the March 2023 agreement, which seeks to place 30 percent of the world’s oceans in protected areas. As of August 29, 52 more ratifications were needed for the treaty to enter into force; So far, 91 countries have signed the treaty. Cuba, the latest country to ratify the treaty, did so on June 28.

Established in 2003, the BOBP-IGO is also working to ensure that Southeast Asian countries develop the necessary national legislation to implement the agreement. BOBP-IGO recently organized a two-day workshop in Chennai, India, bringing together officials from several Southeast Asian countries. Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.

According to the BOBP-IGO, during the workshop, a panel of experts from member states, including ambassadors, policymakers and marine scientists, recognized that one of the keys to implementing the High Seas Agreement is the implementation of proactive legislation at the national level. The agreement came into effect.

„Other recommendations from this workshop underscore the urgency of addressing critical challenges facing the high seas and the important role South and Southeast Asian countries can play in protecting marine ecosystems,” BOBP-IGO said in a release. „The meeting noted that the High Seas Agreement has the potential to significantly enhance ocean conservation efforts, thereby helping to mitigate climate change.”

The workshop also led India to announce that it plans to sign the High Seas Treaty at the next UN General Assembly in September. PK Srivastava, adviser to the Union Ministry of Geosciences, said the country would sign the agreement at the two-day workshop and the ministry would establish the necessary institutional mechanisms.

„This commission will deal with necessary regulations, inspections and other activities related to the agreement,” Srivastava told the meeting.

Srivastava said the signing of the agreement will not be without its challenges and priorities for development, resource sharing, research and development and capacity building need to be taken up immediately.

„There is a strong need to leverage regional partnerships between South and Southeast Asian countries for capacity building in this direction,” he said.