Nice, France — June 13, 2025 – Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. delivered urgent calls for global unity and bold leadership to protect the world’s oceans at two high-level events during the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France this week.
Speaking at the Pacific High-Level Reception on Regional Ambition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), Whipps hailed the BBNJ Agreement as a critical tool to safeguard ocean areas outside national boundaries and called on countries to act swiftly.
“Palau is proud to have been the first country to ratify the BBNJ Agreement,” Whipps said. “We commend the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia for their subsequent ratifications. We urge our fellow Pacific Island countries—especially those represented here at UNOC3—to stand with us.”
The BBNJ Agreement, adopted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), aims to protect marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, often referred to as the high seas. Whipps emphasized the urgency of the moment, noting that although over 40 countries have ratified the agreement, at least 60 are needed for it to enter into force.
“UNOC3 is our moment,” he told delegates. “Let us stand shoulder to shoulder, here in France, and commit to the ocean legacy our children deserve.”
Whipps also addressed the future of deep-sea mining, issuing a strong statement against the extraction of seabed resources during the “Deep-Sea Environment of the Pacific” session on June 9.
Quoting Maltese diplomat Arvid Pardo, Whipps reminded attendees that “the dark oceans are the womb of life,” and warned against exploiting deep-sea ecosystems for short-term economic gain.
“Let us not be remembered as the generation that mined blindly,” he said. “Let us be the generation that paused, listened, and chose to lead with wisdom.”
Palau has maintained a moratorium on deep-sea mining and has called for a global precautionary approach. Whipps linked deep ocean conservation to broader values of multilateralism and intergenerational equity.
“The ocean is our home, our identity, and our inheritance,” he said. “Let us rise to this moment—with courage, with unity, and with vision.”
UNOC3 gathered heads of state, scientists, and civil society actors from around the world to address escalating threats to marine biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable ocean governance.
Whipps’ remarks positioned Palau as a moral and diplomatic leader in the Pacific, advocating for legally binding international commitments and environmental stewardship both on the surface and in the deep.