LOCL NEWS
BUCHANAN – Liberia is moving to translate its ratification of the High Seas Treaty into concrete national action, with the Environmental Protection Agency leading an assessment of the country’s readiness to implement the landmark international agreement.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The EPA on Tuesday opened a two-day National Validation Workshop in Buchanan to review an Initial Assessment Report on the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, commonly known as the BBNJ or High Seas Agreement.
The workshop brings together about 35 representatives from government institutions, the National Legislature, development partners, academia, civil society, local communities and the media. The exercise is being conducted under a Global Environment Facility Enabling Activities Project, with technical support from the United Nations Environment Program.
Speaking on behalf of EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, Project Liaison Officer and GEF Alternate Focal Point Desmond T. Thompson said Liberia’s ratification of the agreement in June 2025 was only the beginning.
He said the assessment is intended to determine the country’s institutional, legal, scientific, technical and financial requirements for implementation.
Liberia participated in negotiations that led to the adoption of the agreement in 2023 and signed it in 2024 before securing legislative approval and ratification the following year.
The assessment covers key areas including marine genetic resources and benefit-sharing, marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.
It also considers gender equality and the traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Thompson said identifying these needs is critical to ensuring that Liberia can effectively participate in the management and conservation of marine biodiversity beyond areas under national jurisdiction.
Assistant Minister for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Daniel Kokoi Jr., urged stakeholders to treat the process as more than an international obligation.
He said Liberia, as a coastal country with important marine and fisheries resources, has a direct interest in ensuring sustainable management of the world’s oceans.
Kokoi identified national ownership, institutional coordination and capacity development as key priorities, while noting that the treaty could provide opportunities for scientific research, technology transfer and greater participation in global ocean governance.
The workshop is expected to produce recommendations to strengthen the Initial Assessment Report and establish a clear national pathway for Liberia’s continued engagement with the High Seas Treaty.
