States Reaffirm Commitment to Multilateralism with Successful Launch of Ocean Agreement at Annual Treaty Event
(Delayed in transmission.)
NEW YORK, 22 September 2023 — On the sidelines of the seventy-eighth United Nations General Debate, 85 States and 1 international organization undertook a total of 102 actions at the annual Treaty Event which ended today.
The theme of this year’s four-day Treaty Event was “Towards Universal Participation in Multilateral Environmental Agreements for a Healthy Planet”. Highlighted treaties aimed to address the triple crisis of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution destroying the planet.
The centerpiece of the Treaty Event was the opening for signature of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention of Law of the Sea to address the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Agreement garnered 81 signatures, including by 12 African States, 18 Asia-Pacific States, 10 Eastern European States, 16 Latin American and Caribbean States, and 22 Western European and other States.
The BBNJ Agreement was signed by 11 Heads of State, 11 Heads of Government, 56 ministers and 2 other high-ranking officials, representing 80 States and the European Union.
The United Nations Legal Counsel, Miguel de Serpa Soares, said: “The opening for signature of the BBNJ Agreement today marks the beginning of a turning point in our common efforts to address the threats facing our ocean from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss."
In addition to the BBNJ Agreement, States undertook treaty actions on a number of other areas of global concern, including human rights, international trade and development, disarmament, penal matters, health and the protection of the environment.
The full list of multilateral treaties highlighted at the 2023 Treaty Event is available at: https://treaties.un.org/doc/source/Events/2023/Treaties/treaties_english.pdf.
Background
In September 2000, the United Nations invited world leaders attending the landmark Millennium Summit to take advantage of their presence at UN Headquarters to join a wide range of major international treaties. By signing multilateral conventions or depositing their instruments of ratification, accession or through other instruments establishing the consent to be bound, the Member States contribute significantly to the advancement of the rule of law in international relations and the cause of peace. Since then, the Treaty Event has been held annually, usually coinciding with the general debate of the General Assembly in September. Since 2000, the United Nations Treaty Events have resulted in more than 2,000 treaty-related actions, including signatures, ratifications and accessions.
Resources
Photos from the 2023 UN Treaty Event are available at https://treaties.un.org/Pages/PhotoList.aspx?clang=_en.
On-demand video of the 14 September 2023 press briefing by David Nanopoulos and Vladimir Jares of the UN Office of the Legal Affairs can be found at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1l/k1l6fnf4wt.
The 2023 Treaty Event guide is available in English at https://treaties.un.org/doc/source/Events/2023/Publication/publication-English.pdf, and in French at https://treaties.un.org/doc/source/Events/2023/Publication/publication-French.pdf.
A complete list of the multilateral treaties deposited with the United Nations is available on the website of the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs at https://treaties.un.org.
To follow developments on social media, use #ForPeopleForPlanet, #BBNJ and #GlobalGoals.