The IOI China Training Programme on Ocean Governance and Sustainable Development with Special Reference to the BBNJ Agreement was successfully held in Tianjin, China. A total of 17 participants from 9 countries (Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) took part in the training.
The main objective of this programme was to equip participants with a foundational understanding of the international legal framework for global ocean governance, with special emphasis on the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
Topical presentations were delivered by 9 invited experts and professors from China and beyond, and several of the presentations were directly related to the BBNJ Agreement, sparking intensive and insightful discussions. All sessions were well-prepared and effectively delivered and the programme was designed to prioritise intensive classroom sessions through presentations and discussions. One study tour to the National Maritime Museum of China and one visit to the School of Marine Science and Technology at Tianjin University were arranged, offering valuable practical exposure.
All participants successfully completed the required presentations and reports, and were awarded the Certificate of Training Course Participation.
Photos courtesy of Wan Fangfang, Senior Research Fellow National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin, China