Antigua and Barbuda is playing a pivotal role in meetings now underway at the United Nations that are seeking to bring into full effect the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty otherwise known as the High Seas Treaty.

Countries have already agreed to the Treaty but now a Preparatory Commission (Prep Com III) is being held to work out the fine details of putting the agreement into action. The agreement once it goes into full effect will ensure that vast areas of the ocean, beyond the reach of any single nation, are protected in a way that supports the survival and livelihoods of small island nations like Antigua and Barbuda.

The Prep Com, taking place from 23 March to 2 April 2026, is being attended by First Secretary at the Antigua and Barbuda Permanent Mission to the United Nations Asha Challenger, who is also a Vice President of the Preparatory Commission. The meeting is bringing signatory parties, civil society, academia, UN partner agencies, and other stakeholders together to discuss the rules and procedures that will guide decision making and the various support systems that will ensure the agreement operates effectively, especially for SIDS.

Challenger is also spearheading Antigua and Barbuda’s coordination in collaboration with CARICOM and the Alliance of Small Island States on several key areas. These include financial arrangements, the design of the institutional framework, and fostering relationships with other relevant international bodies and treaties.

Also joining her at the meeting are Legal Officer at the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Marine Shipping (ADOMS) Darius Joseph and Crown Counsel II at the Office of the Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda Zachary Phillips.

The presence of the three experts at the United Nations meeting reinforces Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to protecting the oceans, on which many of its people depend for survival, and to ensure SIDS can have a voice in decisions that affect their future.

Prem Com III is the last preparatory meeting before signatory nations convene for their first Conference of the Parties on the BBNJ Treaty, expected to take place in January next year at UNHQ in New York. At this meeting, the agreement will become fully operational and states parties will start work towards implementation of the treaty obligations towards sustainable use and conservation of the ocean.