Kiribati has officially cemented its role as a leading global ocean steward by ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement on December 9, 2025, becoming the 76th Member State to join this landmark global effort.

The instrument of ratification was signed by His Excellency, Taneti Maamau, and the deposit was formally concluded during a ceremony at the United Nations Treaty Section in New York by the Acting Ambassador to the Kiribati United Nations Mission, Mrs. Josephine Moote, on behalf of the Government and the Chief of the Treaty Section, Mr. David. Nanoupoulous. This crucial step followed a comprehensive stakeholder review and consideration process by the Kiribati National Ocean Coordinating Committee held in September 2025.

The BBNJ Agreement, established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), focuses on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. For Kiribati, a nation whose vast territory is defined by the ocean and surrounded by the high seas, this ratification carries profound significance for national security and prosperity.