Treaty on the High Seas: Resumption of negotiations to try to protect a vital treasure

It is often presented as a “last chance treaty”. After four sessions without any agreement, UN member states meet again, starting Monday, in an effort to negotiate a treaty aimed at protecting the high seas. A file at the center of discussions since 2018 which should allow better regulation of international waters. An area still unknown that covers nearly half of our planet, and represents one of the main challenges in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.

This fourth meeting comes after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This new meeting is a continuation of the fourth round of negotiations that started last March and which was to be the last. But in the face of difficulties in agreeing on a text, negotiators announced that they wanted to extend this new round of discussion. Hence this new meeting, which will be held until August 26 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

“During these two weeks, let’s try to reach a fair and balanced agreement that can be implemented and that allows for global participation.”Commenting at the opening of the debates, the president of the conference, Rina Lee, called for “Maximum flexibility to reach consensus and finish line”. But if the statement is encouraging, observers remain skeptical about the possibility of a treaty being reached at the end of this cycle.