France pushes CARICOM countries to join treaty to protect oceans outside exclusive economic zones

Last Updated on Sunday, 23 March 2025, 21:22 by Writer

France is appealing to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states to sign and ratify the High Seas Treaty to protect oceans that do not necessarily belong to any country, ahead of the 3rd United Nations (UN) Oceans Conference to be held later this year, France’s Ambassador to Guyana, Nicolas de Lacoste said.

“Before the conference, it would be really key to have the Treaty, which is called the treaty to protect marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction and this treaty stipulates that the seawater which does not belong to any country above the Exclusive Economic Zone, you can have regulations to organise protected areas,” he said.

The treaty also allows for the sharing of scientific research and benefits from sustainable exploitation “so that we don’t consider that these zones are belonging to nobody and you can do whatever you want,” he said.

Mr de Lacoste said it would be important for at least 30 percent of oceans protected by special zones where fishing, oil and gas and other economic activities would be restricted for the moment.

So far, of the 196 UN member states, 112 have signed that treaty and 21 have ratified it. France is anxious for CARICOM member states to be among the first 60 countries to ratify the High Seas Treaty and so bring it into force. “It’s a big issue and if the momentum of the June UN Conference is lost, we will feel it will be more difficult in the future,” he said.

The UN Oceans Conference, being co-organised by Costa Rica, France and the UN, will be held in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025. At least one million persons, including world leaders, would be attending that event aimed at developing strategies to protect the oceans.

The French envoy said CARICOM had been negotiating the treaty as a bloc, and Guyana played a “very active” part in the process and was responsible for the financing mechanism. Mr de Lacoste described the regional grouping as a “model” for the negotiations and now it was important for CARICOM, as a bloc, to join the treaty. “These are mainly island states—not Suriname, not Belize, not Guyana—but the challenges are similar. The protection of the ocean, the fight against climate change, the protection of biodiversity is important for all the countries of the region,” he said.

CARICOM member states that have ratified the High Seas Treaty are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, and St Lucia. Those that have signed only are The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago have not signed or ratified the treaty.