Sri Lanka Moves to Align National Policies as BBNJ Treaty Enters into Force 

As the historic BBNJ Treaty officially entered into force in January 2026, Sri Lanka has moved into a critical new phase: aligning its national policies and legal framework with the requirements of the global agreement. Government officials confirm that the country is currently engaged in an extensive policy-formulation and legal review process, involving multiple ministries, to ensure effective implementation of the treaty. 

The BBNJ Treaty — formally titled the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction — is the first legally binding international framework to regulate biodiversity conservation in the high seas, areas of the ocean that lie beyond national boundaries. These waters cover nearly two-thirds of the global ocean and have long suffered from fragmented governance and limited protection. 

Policy Formulation Now Underway in Sri Lanka

According to Ms. T.A.S.S.S. Thambugala, Director General of the Ocean Affairs, Environment & Climate Change Division of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka has already completed key international steps and is now focused on domestic implementation. 

In a conversation with us, she stated that Sri Lanka signed the BBNJ Treaty in February 2025, ratified it in September 2025, and following the treaty’s entry into force in January 2026, the government has initiated the process of reviewing existing policies and laws.

“Currently we are in the policy-formulating process, and all necessary prevailing policies and related laws are being evaluated to modify them as per the requirements of the new treaty,” Ms. Thambugala said.

She explained that the Ocean Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry is acting as the national focal point for this process. A series of inter-ministerial discussions are now underway to identify gaps, overlaps, and areas that require reform to ensure Sri Lanka meets its treaty obligations while safeguarding national interests. 

“There have been ongoing inter-ministerial meetings to discuss policy formation under the new treaty,” she added.

“Currently we are in the gap-analysis process in the prevailing policies and laws.” 

According to her, several key institutions are involved in these discussions, including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Fisheries, and other relevant agencies with ocean-related mandates. This reflects the cross-cutting nature of the BBNJ Treaty, which affects conservation, fisheries, maritime security, energy exploration, and scientific research. 

Why Domestic Policy Alignment Matters 

The BBNJ Treaty introduces new global standards in four major areas:

marine genetic resources and benefit-sharing, area-based management tools such as marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, and capacity-building with technology transfer.

For Sri Lanka, aligning domestic policies with these provisions is essential not only for compliance, but also to ensure that national agencies are empowered to participate in future decision-making processes under the treaty, including scientific research, conservation planning, and benefit-sharing mechanisms.

Sri Lanka already has a range of ocean-related laws and policies — covering fisheries, environmental protection, maritime security, and coastal zone management — but the BBNJ Treaty introduces new concepts that extend beyond national waters. This makes coordination between ministries especially important, as activities in international waters can directly affect Sri Lanka’s fisheries, marine ecosystems, and maritime economy.

Environmental Ministry’s Role and Expected Benefits 

The Ministry of Environment is also actively engaged in the ongoing discussions. Ms. Nilmini Ranasinghe, Assistant Director of the Biodiversity Division, confirmed to us that her division is participating in consultations led by the Foreign Ministry.

She emphasized that Sri Lanka carefully evaluated the treaty before signing and ratifying it and concluded that participation would bring long-term benefits.

She noted that Sri Lanka took considerable time to sign and ratify the treaty, during which it was closely assessed, and the country found that the agreement would be more beneficial.

According to Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka stands to gain particularly from the treaty’s capacity-building and technology-transfer provisions, which are designed to support developing countries in marine research, monitoring, and biodiversity conservation. These provisions could strengthen national scientific institutions and improve access to international research collaborations related to ocean health, climate change, and marine ecosystems. 

From Signature to Entry Into Force

Sri Lanka signed the BBNJ Treaty on 20 February 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, becoming one of the early supporters of the agreement. 

The country then ratified the treaty on 16 September 2025, formally committing to its implementation. With the 60th ratification deposited later that month, the treaty met the legal threshold required to enter into force and officially became operational in January 2026. 

This timeline places Sri Lanka among the early group of countries now shaping how the treaty will function in practice. 

Why the BBNJ Treaty Is Important to Sri Lanka

As an island nation located along major Indian Ocean shipping routes, Sri Lanka’s economy and food security are closely linked to ocean health. Fisheries, tourism, maritime trade, and emerging blue-economy sectors all depend on resilient marine ecosystems.

Activities in the high seas — including overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea exploitation — can have direct downstream impacts on Sri Lanka’s coastal and offshore waters. The BBNJ Treaty provides a mechanism for Sri Lanka to engage in global decision-making that affects these shared marine spaces.

In addition, the treaty strengthens international cooperation on environmental impact assessments, meaning that activities planned in international waters will face greater scrutiny — a development that could help protect migratory species and ecosystems connected to Sri Lanka’s marine environment.

Challenges Ahead

While the current policy-formulation process marks an important step, effective implementation will require sustained coordination, technical expertise, and resources. Translating international obligations into domestic regulations, institutional mandates, and enforcement mechanisms will take time.

However, officials emphasize that the ongoing gap-analysis process is designed to ensure that Sri Lanka’s response is measured, evidence-based, and aligned with national development priorities. 

Conclusion

With the BBNJ Treaty now in force, Sri Lanka has entered a decisive implementation phase. The country’s current focus on policy formulation, legal review, and inter-ministerial coordination highlights a serious commitment to making the treaty work in practice. 

By proactively aligning national policies and engaging key ministries from the outset, Sri Lanka is positioning itself not only as a responsible treaty party, but also as a country ready to benefit from stronger global ocean governance — at a time when protecting marine biodiversity has never been more urgent. 

References 

https://www.un.org/bbnjagreement/en

https://www.un.org/en/desa/game-changing-international-marine-protection-treaty

https://www.ioc.unesco.org/en/articles/bbnj-treaty-enters-force

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