High Seas Treaty enters into force, marking a new era in ocean protection

The High Seas Treaty, the first legally binding international agreement to safeguard marine life beyond national borders, entered into force on January 16, marking the beginning of a new era in ocean protection.

On social media, the UN notes that the High Seas encompass almost half the planet and two-thirds of the ocean, and are home to some of the most biodiverse and vulnerable ecosystems on Earth.

President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, signed the historic treaty in New York in September 2023, while Cuba held the pro-tempore presidency of the G77 + China. The document was ratified in 2025, representing a significant step toward protecting a healthy and vibrant ocean for future generations.

Cuba is among the first ten countries party to the agreement, although the number has already grown to 145 signatory states, with 81 countries now party. The treaty is 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 (BBNJ Agreement).