Maldives Ratifies Key Environmental Agreements at UN Headquarters
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has officially deposited the Instrument of Ratification for the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), along with the Instrument of Accession for the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
This event took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York yesterday. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu sought parliamentary approval to join the Minamata Convention on Mercury on 11 December 2023, and for the signing of the BBNJ Agreement on 11 February. Both initiatives received parliamentary approval on 13 May.
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The Maldives signed the BBNJ Agreement on 3 September, and with the recent deposit of the Instruments, it has become the eighth country to ratify the BBNJ Agreement and the 150th country to accede to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The BBNJ Agreement aims to facilitate the conservation, preservation, and sustainable use of biodiversity in the High Seas, marking a significant international effort to safeguard marine ecosystems beyond national jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the Minamata Convention on Mercury seeks to protect the environment and human health from the harmful effects of mercury emissions and releases. It establishes regulations governing the entire lifecycle of mercury, including its supply, trade, use, emissions, releases, storage, and waste management.
Following the depositions, Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim, who was present at the ceremony, shared his optimism via a post on X, stating that the BBNJ Agreement could yield substantial benefits for global biodiversity conservation efforts. He added that as a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Maldives is committed to contributing to the implementation of this agreement, aiming to reduce global mercury pollution over the coming decades.
