Africa-Press – Gambia. The National Environment Agency (NEA) Wednesday convened national consultative meeting on the “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty” to enhance awareness and strengthen dialogue among key stakeholders in The Gambia.
The meeting is part of national efforts to support the ratification and future implementation of the BBNJ Agreement formally known as the “Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.”
The treaty aims to raise awareness of its provisions, assess potential institutional roles, and build understanding of its impact on sustainable ocean governance. It is also expected to encourage dialogue across sectors and gather vital input as The Gambia prepares for ratification and implementation.
Ndey Sireng Bakurin, Executive Director of TANGO, said that as the national umbrella body for civil society in The Gambia, TANGO is proud to provide a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collective action on matters of national and global importance.
She described the BBNJ Treaty, adopted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as a major milestone in international environmental governance. “We are proud that The Gambia became a signatory to this historic agreement on 20 September 2023, reaffirming our commitment to protecting marine biodiversity and contributing to global cooperation in ocean governance,” she said.
Bakurin commended the NEA and the Ministry of Environment for championing the process and expressed hope that the meeting would help lay the foundation for a nationally owned, coordinated implementation plan. She reaffirmed TANGO’s commitment to support awareness, advocacy, capacity building, and grassroots engagement. “Protecting biodiversity whether within or beyond our jurisdiction is a shared responsibility that transcends sectors and borders,” she said.
Dr. Dawda Badgie, Executive Director of NEA, said The Gambia showed its commitment to ocean sustainability by signing the BBNJ Agreement at the UN Headquarters in New York last September. Cabinet has since approved its ratification at a meeting held on 10 July 2025, reinforcing the country’s dedication to environmental stewardship and global cooperation.
He noted that as a low-lying coastal nation, The Gambia is highly vulnerable to climate change and marine biodiversity loss. “Our fisheries, tourism, and coastal livelihoods depend on the health of marine ecosystems,” he said, adding that the BBNJ Treaty offers crucial opportunities for capacity building and technology transfer to support national development.
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