December 12, 2018, United Nations Headquarters New York- Mr. Mlondi Nsibandze, a lawyer from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the  Kingdom of Eswatini,  paticipated in a three (3) day Training Programe To Reinforce Capacity in the Context of the Intergovernmental Conference on an International Legally Binding Instrument Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Convservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). This Training Programme was joinly organize in New York at the United Nations Office of the  Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, (DOALOS) and the Nippon Foundation, from December 12-14, 2018.

The BBNJ Training Programme is expected to enhance the capacity of developing countries, in particular least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, to participate and negotiate in the Intergovernmental Conference, including through increased knowledge of the process leading to the Intergovernmental Conference, enhanced understanding of the issues being discussed and strengthened capabilities to negotiate.

BACKGROUND:

The BBNJ training is one of the activities under the new Sustainable Ocean Programme (pdf). It also aims to reinforce the capacity of representatives from developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, to effectively engage in the Intergovernmental Conference. To that end, the Programme provides participants the opportunity to: