Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 22 May 2025- The Government of the Cook Islands, in collaboration with the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC), convened a National Consultation on the Ratification and Implementation of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). The consultation began yesterday and concludes today.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), Ms. Peka Fisher, Foreign Service Officer from the Treaties, Multilateral and Oceans Division, emphasised the importance of national engagement. “As we move toward ratification and implementation, it is critical that we come together at the national level to chart the way forward. This consultation is a vital part of that process — to explore the content of the Agreement, its relevance to our national priorities including Marae Moana, and how we might prepare for implementation in a way that is inclusive, supports advancing our national priorities, is coordinated, and forward-looking,” she said.
The two-day event has brought together stakeholders from across government, traditional leaders, and civil society to discuss the Cook Islands’ pathway to ratification of the Agreement. Having signed the Agreement on 22 September 2023 during the High-Level Week of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Cook Islands joined 80 States and the European Union as signatories of this landmark treaty. This underscores the Cook Islands' global commitment to conserving marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The Agreement, adopted in June 2023, establishes the first international legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in these areas, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean. Ratifying the BBNJ Agreement will enable the Cook Islands to proactively contribute to shaping global rules on marine genetic resources, area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments, and technology transfer and capacity building. It will also strengthen national efforts under frameworks such as Marae Moana and support the Cook Islands’ efforts in ocean stewardship.
“Cook Islands delegates were among our Pacific SIDS delegates in New York who played an integral role in leading the BBNJ negotiations. They worked tirelessly, with support from regional partners and experts, to see the BBNJ Agreement reach its full potential,” said Dr. Filimon Manoni, Pacific Ocean Commissioner.
This national dialogue marks a key step in Cook Islands preparations for ratification ahead of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in France next month. The consultations offer an opportunity to assess the alignment of national legislation with the Agreement and identify any necessary legal or institutional reforms. The Cook Islands joins other Pacific nations advancing national consultations, including Samoa, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. To date, Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia are the only Pacific nations to have ratified the treaty.
The consultation forms part of wider regional efforts led by OPOC, pursuant to the mandate issued by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their 52nd Meeting held in Rarotonga in 2023. These efforts coordinate with regional partners, including organisations under the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP), to support Forum Members in ratifying, domesticating, and implementing the BBNJ Agreement. Through in-country missions, technical assistance, and regional coordination, these initiatives aim to ensure that key Pacific priorities such as equitable benefit sharing, respect for traditional knowledge, capacity development, and the protection of the Blue Pacific Ocean are effectively reflected in the implementation of the Agreement.
As the global community prepares for UNOC 3, the Cook Islands reaffirms its commitment to advancing robust ocean governance and promoting the sustainable use and conservation of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction for the benefit of current and future generations.
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