BBNJ and the High Seas ambitions in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region: The need for more attention

The March 2026 BBNJ Preparatory Commission (BBNJ Prep Com III) meeting at the UN Headquarters provides an avenue for policymakers and experts to continue discussions on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). While parties are focused on developing the terms of reference for subsidiary bodies and provisions on funding and financial mechanisms in what can be called the first “Conference of the Parties to the Agreement,” they should also consider implementation readiness and ratification challenges across countries/regions. Moreover, it is necessary to also consider how the BBNJ overlaps with existing regional conventions on cooperation and protection of marine biodiversity.

In this context, the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region, spanning Central and West Africa, is of great concern due to its geography and status as a global biodiversity hotspot. Over the last few decades, ocean- and fisheries-related activities that harm the ocean beyond the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) have increased significantly. There is pressure on the ocean within the GoG to deliver more for corporations and people through increased fishing and maritime activities. Several foreign actors are operating in the region, with some engaged in illegal activities, exploiting loopholes and the limited capacity of states to effectively monitor, enforce, and control activities on the high seas to protect marine resources. Beyond the direct impacts on dependent coastal communities, the conservation and management of marine and other biological resources remain major problems.  

Why does the GoG region matter?

The GoG is an exceptional region with a productive upwelling zone that serves as habitat for breeding and nesting groups of several important marine species, enriching its marine and coastal ecosystems. The coastal transitional zones and ocean currents promote fish production that supports the livelihoods of more than 10 million people across the small Islands and coastal states in the region. The ecological and social characteristics of the GoG make it an important region that warrants serious consideration in the context of the BBNJ and high seas agreements, particularly regarding governance and the inclusion of coastal communities in the enforcement and legal operationalization