Dominican Republic joins global effort to protect high seas

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has officially ratified the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), becoming the 87th country to do so. The instrument was deposited at the United Nations by Ambassador Wellington Bencosme, Permanent Representative to the UN, alongside officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

With this step, the country reaffirms its commitment to multilateral cooperation, ocean protection, and international law. As a Caribbean island nation, the Dominican Republic emphasized the vital role oceans play in its economy, food security, and sustainable development, underscoring the need for collective global action to protect marine ecosystems.

The government highlighted that the agreement will strengthen ocean governance by promoting scientific research, enabling the creation of marine protected areas in international waters, and supporting technology transfer and capacity building—especially for developing nations and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The BBNJ Treaty is the first legally binding international agreement focused on protecting biodiversity in the high seas, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans. It introduces measures such as environmental impact assessments for human activities and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, aiming to curb ocean degradation and biodiversity loss.

With the ratification, the Dominican Republic joins a growing number of countries supporting the implementation of the agreement and will participate in preparations for its first Conference of the Parties.