President Bola Tinubu has called for the quick ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement.
He recently advocated for a major increase in funding for blue economy initiatives to guarantee the protection and sustainable use of the world’s oceans.
He recently had his say at the ongoing United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, a gathering that attracted participation from more than 120 member states under the theme “Accelerating Action and Mobilising All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean.”
Speaking at the conference, Tinubu spoke in favour of securing the health of the oceans for future generations.
Calling for fast and collective global action to preserve the benefits the oceans have to offer, President Tinubu stated that Nigeria will continue to recognize the ocean as a repository of amazing wealth, natural capital, global food security, employment opportunities, and sustainable livelihoods.
According to him, the nation will not stop committing to achieving the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14, as well as the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
He further announced that Nigeria has signed the BBNJ Agreement and commenced its ratification process, stressing that the full implementation of the agreement, especially the ultimate aim of designating at least 30 per cent of the global ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030, is key for achieving the objectives of SDG 14.
He, however, warned that meeting the important target will entail a collective determination to keep tracking and enforcing frameworks that will guarantee positive ecological results.
Tinubu concluded by calling on the global community, especially investors and development partners, to offer both technical expertise and financial resources to aid blue economy initiatives in developing countries.
