• Agreement supports marine protection, funding access, and blue economy growth
• Draft law approved by ministers, now awaits parliamentary vote

Togo has launched the ratification process for the BBNJ Agreement, a legally binding United Nations treaty adopted on June 19, 2023, on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Council of Ministers approved a draft law to ratify the agreement at a meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. The treaty falls under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and is aimed at strengthening international governance of maritime spaces through a cooperative approach.

The draft law will be submitted to parliament for review and a vote before final ratification. Ratification is expected to give Togo access to new sources of environmental financing following its participation in the COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil, earlier this month. The government said the agreement would allow the country to tap funding mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility to support conservation efforts and combat marine pollution.

Beyond environmental protection, the treaty is seen as supporting the development of the blue economy in West Africa’s coastal region. It provides for the creation of marine protected areas, equitable access to marine genetic resources and mandatory environmental impact assessments for activities on the high seas.

For Togo, the move is expected to strengthen its alignment with international maritime governance standards and deliver longer-term benefits for fisheries, maritime transport and international cooperation.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi