Story by Memory Chamisa
ZIMBABWE is among the 18 new countries to ratify the High Seas Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity, bringing the total number to 50 out of the 60 countries needed for the agreement to be enforced.
The ratification comes as global leaders, researchers and scientists are gathered in Nice, France for the third United Nations Oceans Conference.
Once 60 ratifications are reached, a 120-day countdown starts before the treaty can officially be enforced, and when the period elapses, protected areas can be designated with the oversight mechanisms being implemented.
Regional Climate Change and Environment Expert, Mr Sherpard Zvigadza highlighted the significance of the ratification not only for Zimbabwe but for the world at large in ensuring no country can claim sovereignty over any part of the high seas.
“The ratification is a powerful victory for those who have long championed protection of the high seas. Until now, there has been no comprehensive legal framework to enforce conservation or establish protected areas in these international waters,” he said.
“Landlocked countries like Zimbabwe will also have a voice, as the United Nations affirms their right to access the sea through agreements with coastal states. This surge in ratifications is a tidal wave of hope, just 10 more are needed, and we could see enforcement within weeks.”
In a Post Cabinet Media Briefing in Harare this Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere clarified said the agreement is founded on principles of sustainable development.
“Cabinet approved the ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, adopted by State Parties to UNCLOS on 19 June 2023. Zimbabwe signed the Agreement on 5 March 2025,” he said.
“It aligns with our environmental policy framework and provides for cooperation with other states in combating threats such as marine pollution and the effects of climate change.”
The High Seas Treaty, formally the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, is the first agreement focused on the protection of marine biodiversity in international seas to be legally binding.
The High Seas Treaty is crucial for meeting the global 30times30 goal, an international promise to safeguard 30 percent of the world’s land and sea by the end of the decade.
The treaty creates the legal framework for the establishment of marine protected areas by nations in the high seas.
This includes rules surrounding destructive activities such as deep sea mining and geo-engineering.
The decisions under the High Seas Treaty are to be made through conferences of parties (COPs), not by individual countries.
The first Conference of the Parties (COP1) for the High Seas Treaty must take place within a year of it coming into force.
The meeting will establish the treaty’s groundwork for implementation, including its financing, governance and the creation of main bodies for the evaluation of marine protection proposals.
