Extension of Validity Period of MOU on Supporting CBD and SOI for Five Years

 

- MOF holds renewal signing ceremony for MOU with CBD Secretariat

 

 The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Kang Do-hyung) announced that it held a signing ceremony at BEXCO in Busan on Monday, April 28 to extend the validity period of the MOU with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat regarding support for the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) until 2030.

 

 As one of the leading environmental conventions of the United Nations (UN), CBD consists of 196 member states. The 10th Conference of the Parties held in 2010 adopted the SOI to conserve marine and coastal biodiversity.

 

 Meanwhile, the SOI is an initiative adopted to strengthen the ocean utilization capability of developing and small island countries for the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable use of the ocean by hosting international forums, inviting or visiting marine authorities for training, and promoting regional capacity-building workshops.

 

  At the 12th Conference of the Parties held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do in 2014, Korea announced its continuing support for the SOI programs in accordance with the spirit of the 2012 Yeosu Declaration*. It has been providing support since 2015.

 

 * Yeosu Declaration: Announced on the closing day of the Yeosu World Expo, it emphasizes the criticalness of the problems facing oceans and coastal environments, importance of sustainable development of marine resources as a future growth engine, and urgency of international cooperation.

 

 Since the existing MOU between the CBD Secretariat and MOF on supporting the SOI was due to expire at the end of this year, the signing ceremony was held to extend the support until 2030.

 

 With such extension of the MOU, Korea will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as an advanced maritime nation by providing financial support for the SOI programs from 2026 to 2030.

 

 At the signing ceremony, CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker expressed gratitude for Korea’s cooperation and support for CBD’s SOI programs and requested further expanded collaboration.

 

 In response, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung thanked the CBD Secretariat for its efforts to implement capacity-building programs for developing countries and strengthen cooperation among regional maritime and fisheries organizations.

 

 Minister Kang Do-hyung also emphasized the active commitment of Korea to marine biodiversity conservation—including its ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement)—and noted that the renewal of this MOU would further enhance cooperation in the future.