St. Kitts and Nevis has officially ratified the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement or BBNJ Agreement. On August 29^th, the instruments of acceptance were deposited at the United Nations Treaty Office in New York by the country’s Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the UN, Dr. Mutryce Williams.

She was joined by Maritza Queeley, National BBNJ Focal Point and Mrs. Lecia Phipps of the Permanent Mission. Ambassador Williams said the deposit formally completes the ratification process and reinforces the nation’s commitment to protecting marine biodiversity and sustainable use of ocean resources, even beyond national waters.

The agreement, adopted in June 2023, addresses key issues including marine genetic resources and benefit-sharing, marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments and capacity building for marine technology. It also sets up funding and institutional arrangements, such as a Conference of the Parties and a secretariat.

With nearly two thirds of the world’s oceans lying beyond national jurisdiction, the BBNJ Agreement provides a legally binding framework to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity in international waters. Ratification allows St. Kitts and Nevis to take part in global decision-making on ocean governance and benefit from capacity building and technology sharing opportunities.