The Cook Islands has concluded its participation in the first session of the Preparatory Commission for the United Nations Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), held at UN Headquarters in New York from 14–25 April.

The Cook Islands delegation, comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), National Environment Services (NES), and the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR), actively engaged in negotiations to shape the institutional, financial, and governance mechanisms required to operationalise the BBNJ Agreement — a landmark global treaty aimed at safeguarding biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Cook Islands reaffirmed its national priorities throughout the session, advocating for:

• the recognition of the special circumstances and needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS);
• the preservation of the mandates and roles of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs);
• the full inclusion of traditional knowledge; the rights of adjacent coastal States;
• and equitable participation in financial mechanisms and benefit-sharing arrangements.

Cook Islands Foreign Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann said: “Through Marae Moana, our ocean is managed holistically. We brought this same spirit to the BBNJ table.”

“The Cook Islands played an active role in ensuring that our priorities — and those of the Pacific — were heard and reflected in the emerging frameworks.”

In preparation for the global meeting, the Cook Islands also took part in the Pacific Regional BBNJ Preparatory Meeting held in Palau in early April 2025. This gathering enabled Pacific SIDS to consolidate common positions, build technical understanding, and agree on key regional priorities.

Outcomes from the Palau meeting — including calls for equitable financing, capacity-building, and strong institutional representation — directly informed the Cook Islands’ contributions at PrepCom1.

The first session of the Preparatory Commission marked important progress. Delegates engaged in substantive discussions on cooperation with existing international bodies, the design and operationalisation of the Special Fund, and the need for fair, accessible reporting mechanisms. There was broad consensus on the importance of ensuring full and effective participation by SIDS and other developing States, as well as the early preparation for implementation of key provisions of the BBNJ Agreement.

Alongside its multilateral engagement, the Cook Islands is continuing technical and legal assessments toward potential ratification of the BBNJ Agreement. Coordination is led through the Marae Moana framework, the country’s integrated ocean governance mechanism. The Cook Islands is also supported by regional organisations including the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.

The next Preparatory Commission will be held in August 2025.

The Cook Islands, which signed the BBNJ Agreement at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2023, is actively working towards its ratification. National consultations, coordinated with the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and relevant line agencies, are scheduled for May 2025. Once 60 countries have ratified, the treaty will enter into force.

To date, 21 countries have ratified the BBNJ Agreement, including three Pacific nations, demonstrating the region’s strong commitment to the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.