Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has deposited the Instrument of Ratification for the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and the Instrument of Accession for the Minamata Convention on Mercury on behalf of the Maldives. The proposal was made by the Foreign Minister at a special ceremony on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79).
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu decided to seek parliamentary approval to join the Minamata Convention on Mercury on December 11, 2023. The Maldives signed the BBNJ Agreement on September 3, 2024. The Parliament of the Maldives approved the ratification of both the agreement and the convention on May 13, 2024. Following this event, the Maldives has become the eight country to ratify the BBNJ Agreement and the 150th country to accede to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the Maldives' unwavering commitment to safeguarding the seas, promoting conservation, and ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources. The ministry also emphasised the importance of protecting both public health and the environment from hazardous toxic emissions, particularly those stemming from dangerous or mercury-containing products.
The Government of Maldives is committed to ensuring the protection and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources, as well as to the protection of lives, livelihoods, public health and the environment from the release of toxic heavy metals such as mercury. The BBNJ Agreement, adopted in the UNGA in 2013, is open for signature until September 20, 2025. The Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted by the international community in 2013 under the auspices of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP).