The Cook Islands delegation has returned from the second session of the Preparatory Commission for the new international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). The meeting was held in New York from 17–29 August 2025.
The BBNJ Agreement is close to entering into force, with 55 countries now having ratified and only five more needed to reach the required 60. Once in force, the Agreement will provide the first global framework with the objective of conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction.
Delegates from over 100 countries focused on practical arrangements that will allow the first Conference of the Parties (COP) to function effectively. Key topics included negotiating the rules of procedure for the COP, institutional arrangements for the Secretariat, cooperation with other international organisations that regulate activities in the high seas, and financial mechanisms to support BBNJ Agreement implementation.
For the Cook Islands, a priority is ensuring that small island developing States (SIDS) rights are fully protected and supported, including in all decision-making within the new treaty. This includes securing appropriate financial support to enable SIDS to fully participate and implement the new treaty.
The third Preparatory Commission session will take place in March 2026. At this session, the Cook Islands will continue to focus on ensuring that the BBNJ Agreement supports and implements science-based decision making and sustainable ocean governance. In particular, the Cook Islands will elevate the importance of respecting existing international frameworks for high-seas management.
The Cook Islands delegation remains committed to working with Pacific partners and the wider international community to ensure the BBNJ Agreement delivers practical outcomes that safeguard the ocean for future generations.
At the national front the Cook Islands has convened a Marae Moana Technical Agencies Group meeting and hosted a National Consultation on the Ratification and Implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, delivered by the Office of the Pacific Commissioner (OPOC). The Cook Islands has not yet ratified to the BBNJ Agreement, as it is undertaking the necessary legal and policy analyses to determine the most effective approach for implementation.
The Cook Islands delegation was represented by Sandrina Thondoo (Director, Treaties, Multilaterals and Oceans – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration), Tekura Moeka’a (Manager, Environmental Policy and Planning Department, National Environment Service) and Viv Fernandes (Legal and Policy Adviser, Ministry of Marine Resources).
Image: Tekura Moeka’a of NES and Sandrina Thondoo of MFAI at the first BBNJ Preparatory Commission in April 2025.
