The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Instrument of Ratification on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond the National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) was deposited with the UN on Tuesday (16), with Sri Lanka thereby becoming a State Party to the convention.

By ratifying the BBNJ Agreement, Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to benefit from the fair and equitable sharing of resources such as marine genetic resources and digital sequence information from areas beyond the national jurisdiction. The agreement also prioritises capacity building and the transfer of marine technology. 

Moreover, the agreement will also enable Sri Lanka to work collectively with other nations to protect biodiversity, build climate resilience, and advance Sustainable Development Goals.