Seychelles Amplifies Voice for Equity in High Seas Treaty Implementation

VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles joined 11 other governments, the High Seas Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Bloomberg Philanthropies in co-hosting a high-level event titled ‘Celebrating High Seas Action: Accelerating the Race for Ratification and Ambitious Implementation of the BBNJ Agreement’ on June 8. The event marked a pivotal moment for ocean governance and biodiversity conservation.

With more than 50 nations having already ratified the High Seas Treaty and another 18 publicly committed, the threshold of 60 ratifications needed for the agreement to enter into force is now within reach. Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chavez and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need for multilateral cooperation, pointing to coral bleaching, ocean acidification and marine heatwaves as stark warnings. Both leaders echoed the call to treat the oceans as both victims of, and solutions to, climate change.

Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment Flavien Joubert delivered an address reaffirming the vital leadership of small island developing states in global ocean governance. ‘For Seychelles, the high seas are not distant waters, they are lifelines,’ he declared, highlighting the country’s deep-rooted dependence on healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems. Major funding pledges were announced, including 40 million euros from the European Union through its Global Ocean Programme, support from Norway for developing nations to participate in preparatory meetings, and a Costa Rican forest-ocean nexus funding initiative.