Nigeria Government Reiterates Commitment To Ratify Biodiversity Treaty

This is in line with the focus of President Bola Tinubu’s eight point agenda to pursue development by unlocking the energy and natural resources of the nation in a sustainable manner.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment Dr Iziaq Salako, who stated this at the ECOWAS coordination meeting on the Ratification of the Biodiversity treaty held in Abuja, the nation’s capital, noted that the urgent need to address this threat has led Nigeria and its sister ECOWAS member Nations to unite and call on the international community to be more ambitious in its response.

“Our Appeal for an Ambitious Global Response to the Biodiversity Crisis is urgent and focused. Through the urgent appeal, we had identified several measures as essential, including the global designation of 30% of land and oceans areas as protected by 2030, the conclusion of a robust new high-seas treaty, the establishment of highly and fully protected areas covering 30% of the global ocean which prohibit environmentally damaging activities, and a global commitment towards immediately halting human-induced extinction of wild species, among others.” The Minister said.

According to him, the ministry is proud that through Nigeria’s rallying efforts, the 55 member States of the African Union have reached a consensus to support ratifying at the earliest feasible date, the new high-seas treaty, as enshrined in Addis Ababa Declaration adopted at the 19th ordinary session of Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).

He noted that “3 months since the 19th AMCEN, we should move from saying earliest feasible date to a more specific period for Africa to ratify the BBNJ treaty. ECOWAS can lead the way in this direction.

The Minister also explained that meeting would provide a pathway to support ECOWAS countries in reaching this important goal.

Dr Salako further stressed that the treaty is to ensure that human activities are managed to prevent significant adverse impacts, with vigorous oversight mechanisms and provisions to establish fully and highly protected MPAs in the high seas.

“With the adoption of the high-seas treaty last June, we are one step closer to achieving our goals, in September this year, at the High Ambition for the High Seas event on the sideline of UNGA, Nigeria joined other 22 countries to symbolically sign a commitment to ratify the BBNJ treaty. We must now rally to ratify the new high-seas treaty promptly so it can come into force.” He said

He urged the member countries to work together to make swift, real progress towards setting a path for prompt ratification of the high-seas treaty in our region and on our continent.

“We must act to protect our oceans now, and we must be bold if we have any hope of preserving our planet for our people and our future generation.” the minister added.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Environment Mr Joseph Turay, said his country will continue to support the development of priority programme in harnessing a sustained and coordinated implementation of the BBNJ treaty.

“We also thank the ECOWAS Commission for this laudable and leading initiative following the development of ECOWAS priorities on biodiversity and to hold these discussions on the need to ratify the BBNJ treaty as a first step to implementation and full enjoyment of the benefits of the high seas as a heritage of mankind. “ he said.

Head of Climate and Environment ECOWAS Commission, Mr Bernard Koffi said the meeting is a follow-up to other coordination meetings organized by ECOWAS to support its member states in their joint efforts at promoting ambition for the world’s response to the biodiversity crisis at “the convention of International Trade of Endangered Species and Wild Fauna and Flora” CITES and at Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD.

He said the ECOWAS region is ready to strengthen and expand its protected areas, recover wild species, and also protect its biodiversity, ecosystem services, magical and unique environments.

“At the end of this meeting, what we expect is the commitment of the representative of our member state, as you know, 12 countries out of the 15 member state of ECOWAS country are coastal countries and in this regard biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction is important for us, in the sea, there is a dynamism. So each country make some effort to protect the biodiversity to conserve biodiversity for sustainable use, but it is important to put our hands together and we will be more efficient if we do if we do so, this is in line with aqueous vision and mission we want peace and prosperity for our people, and we need to cooperate for this purpose to achieve this vision.” he said.

He however called on members to continue expanding their coordination to ensure the region is provided all the tools it needs to implement an ambitious Global Biodiversity Framework and an ambitious CITES agenda.

The treaty is seeking to address how the Biodiversity Resources beyond National Jurisdictions, BBNJ, are being used which means resources that are annexed outside 200 nautical miles.

The essence of this treaty is to ensure that the Biodiversity Resources Beyond National Jurisdiction are used effectively, and the benefit that arises from the use of these resources are shared within all countries.

This means countries that are signed into this treaty can use the treaty to first address the issue of conservation of biological resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, issues of technology needs assessment and capacity building on how the recourses beyond these National Jurisdiction.

The meeting is also to bring the ECOWAS region up to speed in ratifying the treaty.