Excellencies, Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for attending our joint event celebrating biodiversity protection in the global ocean. Special thanks to the High Seas Alliance and all co-sponsors for their involvement.

The BBNJ Agreement is nearing entry into force, representing a significant achievement for biodiversity in the High Seas and international ocean governance. I am proud of the European Unions role in ratifying the BBNJ. I urge all parties to expedite their ratification processes to protect our ocean without delay.

I am pleased to announce the EUs relaunch of the High Ambition Coalition for BBNJ, in collaboration with the Seychelles and Palau. We have presented a Declaration that 37 countries have already endorsed. I encourage all nations with high ambitions for the BBNJ Agreement to join us.

The Coalition aims to maintain momentum and serve as a platform for diverse countries to share experiences and support future initiatives.

A collaborative approach is essential for the BBNJ Agreements success, requiring new and existing partnerships. The High Ambition Coalition is poised to contribute to this effort.

We must enhance our collective actions to meet the Global Ocean Frameworks target of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030.

Finally, I am excited to announce the EUs commitment to ocean protection through the launch of the Global Ocean Programme, with a budget of 40 million euros. This programme is the largest in the world aimed at supporting the BBNJ implementation and enhancing biodiversity in the High Seas.

The initial 10 million euros will fund a Technical Facility managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which I commend for their exceptional work.

This programme will assist partner countries in ratifying and implementing the BBNJ Agreement, ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and sharing the benefits of marine genetic resources, demonstrating the EUs dedication to capacity building and achieving the Agreements objectives.