Stakes for ocean at conference ‘couldn’t be higher’ says Pacific ambassador

Pacific leaders are urging UN member states to finalise a high seas treaty in the next two weeks to protect global marine biodiversity.

Negotiators from around the world convened for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Conference on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) from Monday at the UN headquarters in New York – with the meeting running until March 3.

Fiji’s UN representative, Ambassador Satyendra Prasad, said nations have less than two weeks to finalise a legally binding treaty that “is of far reaching importance to Pacific islands”.

Prasad said the stakes could not be higher for islands from the Blue Pacific.

“Our stakes as individual countries in this could not be higher and all our negotiators from different member states are assembled here. They will be working 24/7,” he said.

Pacific leaders are urging UN member states to finalise a high seas treaty in the next two weeks to protect global marine biodiversity.

Fiji’s UN representative, Ambassador Satyendra Prasad, said nations have less than two weeks to finalise a legally binding treaty that “is of far reaching importance to Pacific islands”.

Prasad said the stakes could not be higher for islands from the Blue Pacific.

“Our stakes as individual countries in this could not be higher and all our negotiators from different member states are assembled here. They will be working 24/7,” he said.